


The Huntress and The Sun

by ThaliaofCarim



Series: Thalia of Carim: The Huntress of Many Ages [1]
Category: Dark Souls (Video Games), Dark Souls I
Genre: CU is a hunter, CU was loved by her father, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other additional characters not mentioned in Tags but are in the story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2020-10-17 10:36:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 77,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20619629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThaliaofCarim/pseuds/ThaliaofCarim
Summary: “I don’t feel very special,” Thalia frowned as her father smirked up at her.Thalia has become undead. After escaping the Asylum, Thalia begins her journey to reignite the First Flame and during this time meets many friendly and not so friendly faces along the way, but one person, in-particular, stands out to her: an Undead man by the name of Solaire. At first Thalia finds him to be out of place in this harsh land known as Lordran, but after a while she comes to discover that she rather enjoys his odd outlook on things. At least she does until her feelings start getting in the metaphorical way and start making her believe that she would like to be more then friends.But a huntress should never be distracted from her hunt, even if all she wants to do is stay with the light of the sun that is always waiting just around the corner.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> As you will have noticed I changed my name on her. I am still ShadowArtemis4456 but decided a name change would be good for me!
> 
> I HAVE A DARK SOULS ONLY DISCORD! If you would like to join there is a link on my profile page.

“_I’ve found my sun, and it was purely by accident. But I am a huntress and I must continue my hunt until I have found my quarry.” _Those were her last words to her friend before she had squeezed her friend’s hand and had parted ways with him. She wasn’t exactly sure _**WHY **_she had said those words, it had just been, more or less, a spur of the moment thing, yet those words had escaped her and now, hidden from her friend’s sight, she leaned against the stone wall and cursed herself for being such a fool. Looking towards the pitch black ceiling, she wondered for a moment what was wrong with her before shaking her head. _If one of the gods could please just strike me down with lightning now, that would be grand. _She thought to herself as she sighed and stood to continue on her journey only to stop dead in her tracks and looked to her wrist where she kept a single item tied close and hidden away from the world. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself a moment to remember everything _that had lead up to this moment in time of where she was wishing that the gods would strike her down…_

****

“Ready?” A masculine voice inquired as the young woman nodded nervously. “Notch,” She gripped one of the many arrows she had in her quiver and pulled it out to rest on the longbow she held in her left hand. “Draw,” the young woman lifted the bow up and managed to hold the bow steady despite how nervous she was. “Loose!” the man who was instructing her ordered as she released the string that she had held taut. Watching as the arrow went sailing through the air, the young woman did not dare to hope that she would hit the middle of the target. Listening for the thud, her brows shot skyward as her eyes widened in surprise as the arrow hit its target. The man instructing her smiled warmly as he turned to her. “We’ll make an archer and a huntress out of you yet, baby girl.” All she could do was smile at receiving such high praise from the man who was her father. Why? It was due to the fact that she was not his full-blooded daughter, rather she was his bastard off-spring he had taken into his home at her mother’s request. Watching as the man smiled he walked away and the young woman frowned as she walked over to the target to remove the arrows she had previously fired into it to replace them in the quiver.

“You know you’ll always be a stain on my family’s good name, why do you even bother with lessons in archery?” a new voice spoke up as the young woman looked up to see her older brother, her father’s true-born son, giving a snide smirk and returned to pulling out her arrows and placing them in her quiver.

“Maybe I bother with them because, unlike your sorry ass, I like to be prepared for anything and everything I can be prepared for.” She told him in response to his snarky question earning herself a glare from him.

“You’ll never be good enough for anything!” He, for reasons she just could not fathom, loved trying to rile her up but she was now beyond the point of no longer caring and had been for years. Yet he still continued to try and rile her up, though it always ended with her rolling her eyes and walking away like it did now.

“You keep telling yourself that,” She huffed as she began walking away after ensuring that she had all of her arrows in her quiver. As her brother decided to follow her, their father called out at that moment and her brother flinched.

“**Eluric! **Leave your sister alone!”

“But-!”

“No buts! I said leave her alone!”

“Yes, father,” Her brother, Eluric, backed off swiftly. It had occurred to the young woman that whenever their father jumped Eluric’s ass, he was swift to back off from bothering her.

“Thalia!”

“Yes, father?” The young woman, revealed to be named Thalia, turned to her father who motioned for her to head over to his side.

“Come here, I wish to speak with you.”

“Yes sir,” She nodded as she immediately kicked it into motion and swiftly approached him before they turned to walk inside with Eluric glaring daggers at her back. Despite her status as being bastard-born with no hopes of gaining anything outside of whatever she would earn for herself (by herself) once she was outside of her father’s home. “You wished to speak with me?” Thalia asked as her father turned to her once they were within his study.

“I did,” Her father nodded before he sighed. “I was approached this past evening by a Cleric from the Way of White Church.”

“Oh?”

“They believe that there is an Undead man or woman in this house or that there will soon be one.”

Thalia’s heart sunk, “You know I would tell you if it was me.”

“I know, Thalia,” her father looked to her sadly, “That is why I want to tell you now, that even if it was you to be the one to become the suspected Undead. I will still love you and I will pray everyday after you are taken for you to be the Chosen Undead.”

“Why?”

“Because something tells me you are special, Thalia, and a part of me would be proud to know that you are the one to be able to relight the First Flame.”

“I don’t feel very special,” Thalia frowned as her father smirked up at her.

“You are baby girl,” Her father smiled softly now. “I knew that from the day I first held you after finding out that you had been born.” That had been the last time she and her father had been able to trade words before it was discovered the next day that Thalia had somehow gained the accursed Dark Sign and she had been taken away from her father forcefully by the members of the Way of White while he had been forced to stand and watch her be taken with tears in his eyes, but behind her father, Thalia had noted her brother giving a dark smirk but it was her father’s parting words that caused her to look back at the man whose tears were slowly shedding. _“Always remember that I love you and that I am proud of you no matter what.”_


	2. One

Thalia sat in her cell staring at the mossy floor beneath her with the hood of her outfit raised to hide her face. A face that spoke of having been too long in the dark cell without any interaction, human or otherwise. Preparing to give up on ever escaping, Thalia attempted to remember her father’s words. But it was a hopeless endeavor, her mind was fogged over, her memories fading slowly away as she sat staring at the stone floor from her little corner she had crawled over to as soon as she had arrived. To say that her “journey” and arrival to this dung-heap was a “nice” one would be greatly exaggerated, as it had been a shit journey. For most of the journey though, Thalia had been out of it as she had started to feel the effects of having the Darksign, such as the fogged mind and fading memories. While she was able to cling onto a few things (such as the pendant her father had given to her the night before her discovery of the Darksign that had her name engraved onto it) and several memories, much of her past had been lost to her and for some reason she could not name, that didn’t seem to really bother her but at the same time it did. Looking up towards the ceiling of her cell, she saw a door at the top open and watched as a body of a dead creature, a thing that had once been a person, but like she was becoming, had become what was called a Hollow. Looking from the corpse to the hole in the ceiling, Thalia saw what she could assume to be a person (maybe it was a man?) looking down into her cell and looking towards her before he stood and left. Before he left however, Thalia swore the styling of his armor _SEEMED_ familiar, but where it was from she could not name to save her life. Turning from the empty space he had left behind, Thalia studied the corpse and stood to walk over to it though her legs were unsteady from lack of use. Taking a moment to regain some sense of balance (and feeling in her legs as there was a nasty prickling sensation that accompanied her standing), she soon headed over to the corpse and scooped up what she noticed was a key. Frowning, she turned to the door and, after inserting the key and unlocking it, she pushed the door open and blinked with amazement before deciding to run straight out of her cell and ran as if her ass was on fire. Racing as quickly as she could, her booted feet barely touched the ground or even the stairs as she ran, at the top of the stairs, Thalia entered into a new room and saw yet another doorway and was swift to head towards it, entering into the new room, she saw a ladder to her right and soon she began to climb the ladder. At the top she raced out the only door that was worthy of her notice and was amazed to see that she was now outside; stopping to allow her eyes to properly adjust, she noted what looked like a bonfire like thing but turned and left it in favor to see what the doors beyond hid behind them. Forcing the doors open, she noted something above the room beyond the doors and ran as fast as her legs could carry her as she recognized what kind of creature sat above the room. Seeing a gate opening, she bolted and managed to make it through the gate just before it slammed shut as the creature on the roof came leaping (or rather crashing) down behind her. Turning, she looked behind her before shaking her head and continuing on. Coming out into a corridor with its ceiling missing, Thalia snarled as an arrow hit her shoulder and began to run forward to chase the thing responsible for it. Grabbing a straightsword and a shield she found on the ground, Thalia raced towards the creature but it easily evaded her. Sounding more like a wild animal then a person, Thalia continued to snarl as she chased the Hollow that was shooting arrows at her. Once she had finally caught up to the Hollow, she leapt towards it and with a roar she began to slash at it; growling as she watched it die, a part of her (her more primal side) was a bit disappointed at how it had only taken two slashes before the Hollow died. _Is this the reason I remember favoring the bow? Because I can’t enjoy the kill with a sword...Why do I want to enjoy this so much? _Thalia shook her head as she started feeling a headache rise from her questioning. Seeing a wall of what looked to be like extremely thick white fog, she frowned as she reached forward and found that it was easily able to be traversed. Walking through it with head bowed, she lifted her gaze back up once she was through and frowned as she looked around. “What was the point of that?!” She huffed in irritation before turning and following the path to start the journey out of this place, or well she was about to when she saw a huge boulder come flying at her. “Fuck!” She yelped as she lunged out of the way and watched as the boulder smashed open the wall of a cell. Turning towards the hole she wondered who or what could be beyond and went towards it only to see the person from before.

Watching as he looked up at her entrance, she sheathed her weapon and approached him. “...Oh, you...” He started as he seemingly recognized her from before as she finished her approach. “You’re no Hollow, eh?” She could hear the smile in his voice. “...Thank goodness...” he sighed as she watched him, “I’m done for, I’m afraid...” He sounded tired, and Thalia couldn’t blame him. “I’ll die soon, then lose my sanity. I wish to ask something of you,” Thalia tilted her head slightly. “You and I, we’re both Undead… Hear me out, will you?” He inquired as Thalia nodded and she noted that his shoulders seemed to drop with relief. “Regrettably, I have failed in my mission but perhaps you can keep the torch lit, there’s an old saying in my family, “Thou who art Undead, art chosen. In thine exodus from the Undead Asylum, maketh pilgrimage to the land of Ancient Lords. When thou ringeth the Bell of Awakening, the fate of the Undead thou shalt know”. Well, now you know… and I can die with hope in my heart...” Thalia continued to remain quiet as he continued to speak, “Oh, one more thing...” he weakly lifted his hand up with a strange yellow-orange thing in it that she gingerly took. “An Estus Flask, an Undead favourite,” he smirked before he remembered one more thing, “Oh, and this,” he offered Thalia something else and she took that carefully as well. After she had what appeared to be another key, the man, or rather the knight (as she finally began to recognize his armor, though she still couldn’t remember where his particular brand of Knight hailed from). “Now I must bid farewell,” he smiled weakly. “I would hate to harm you after death… so, go now… and thank you.” he told her as she hesitated for a moment before turning and leaving him behind.

_Why do I feel sorry for him? He’s resigned to his fate but I feel upset at his loss… _Thalia didn’t understand what was happening to her. She’d been left here to Hollow, yet she was feeling emotions that she hadn’t felt in what she figured to be either months or years. Time was hard to keep in this place but Thalia somehow knew she was a huntress, time was nothing to her to begin with, she had patience enough to rival even the most ancient of creatures. Racing up the stairs, Thalia left the Knight behind, yet still something nagged at her. Some little nagging feeling that she had known that Knight in another life. Shaking her head, Thalia continued on, killing any Hollow, creature, pretty much anything that stood in her way (with some part of her _**still**_ not being satisfied with how quickly these creatures were dying, but then again who would be?) Coming upon another foggy door, Thalia went through it and saw the creature who had tried attacking her from before and a part of her felt pleased. Leaping from where she stood she plunged her sword into the demon (which was what she remembered it being) and it _HOWLED_ in pain and something in Thalia came alive at the sound. After a rather long and (almost) grueling battle, Thalia killed the demon and shook her head before noticing a pair of black doors that she figured would be interesting to go over too. Just as she was preparing to head over to the doors, the sunlight streaming down into the area caused something near the demon’s corpse to glint and she frowned as she headed over to it to notice that the demon had a rather large key on it’s person and frowned as she approached the corpse to relieve it of the key. Snatching the key up, Thalia frowned as she looked over the key before turning back to the black doors. “Only one way to find out,” She responded to a stray wonder. Walking over to the doors, Thalia noted that they were locked after trying them and huffed before she inserted the key into the lock and turned it. Hearing the rather satisfactory _click_ that accompanied the usual sound of doors being unlocked, Thalia tried the doors again and found that they easily opened this time. Once the doors were open, Thalia noted a pathway leading up and decided to follow it (because why not?) and soon came to a flat topped cliff and her jaw dropped as she saw the mountains around her. Even in the sun’s dying light they were magnificent, yet she was barely given time to appreciate them as she was swiftly brought back into reality by a monstrous sized black crow like bird suddenly appearing out of no where and before she could properly react, it scooped her up into it’s taloned feet and soon proceeded to carry her away from the Asylum.

***

Thalia felt herself being (surprisingly) dropped gently upon the ground, but still she grunted as she landed before standing and watching the crow fly away. Confused, Thalia looked around before spotting what appeared to be yet another bonfire and something urged her to sit at it and offer something she knew to be called Humanity. Unsure if that was a good idea or not, Thalia walked over to the bonfire and sat, but as she sat a soothing fog (or was it smoke?) settle over her and clenched her jaws as her injuries she had previously sustained healed. Closing her eyes, Thalia inhaled a sharp breath before feeling the pain subside. Looking herself over she frowned, before partially standing to kneel at the flame and offered up a “Humanity sprite” to the fire. Shuddering as her own “humanity” was restored (and she noted that she actually looked like she had before the accursed Darksign had appeared upon her), Thalia sighed as she opened her eyes to note that her outfit fit perfectly again and blinked as a sudden tidal-wave of emotions came over her before finally settling down at the same time the majority of her memories came back as well. She remembered how to properly say her name, but she also remembered the last time she and her father had spoken and his words to her; dropping her gaze for a moment, Thalia allowed the memory of his loving words to wash over her before remembering that he had been forced to stand and watch as she was stolen away from him. _He wouldn’t have wanted me to wallow in sorrow. He would want me to begin my journey to see to the First Flame._ Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Thalia stood and walked away from the fire and noticed a man sitting nearby who was staring off into nothingness. Approaching him, she watched as he looked to her but his gaze was seemingly vacant.

Before she could speak, however, the man spoke up, “Well, what do we have here? You must be a new arrival. Let me guess. Fate of the Undead, right? Well, you're not the first. But there's no salvation here. You'd have done better to rot in the Undead Asylum... But, too late now. Well, since you're here... Let me help you out. There are actually two Bells of Awakening. One's up above, in the Undead Church. The other is far, far below, in the ruins at the base of Blighttown. Ring them both, and something happens... Brilliant, right? Not much to go on, but I have a feeling that won't stop you. So, off you go. It is why you came, isn't it? To this accursed land of the Undead? Hah hah hah hah...” he gave her no time to speak and so, after looking at him like he was nearly bat-shit insane, Thalia left him and looked around only to spot a path not too far away.

“Couldn’t hurt to check it out,” she shrugged as she began heading up the stairs. Boy how wrong she would come to find out she was. After several fights, a couple of deaths (of which she was forced to use Humanities to reverse the Hollowing process), she _**FINALLY**_ made it to a new area and leaned against a wall while closing her eyes. _“Okay so this is going to be more of a pain in my ass then I thought! Yay me...”_ She trailed off before opening her eyes and noticing a man standing at the end of the stone balcony. Furrowing her brows, Thalia began to walk over towards him but made sure to be polite as she approached him warily. “Excuse me?” She called out as she watched his head turn towards her. She could tell he was a Knight (of some sort) but he looked nothing like the Knights she had known growing up or had seen before.

Watching him carefully, she could tell that he was giving her a once-over and was pretty sure she could rightly guess what he was seeing. Her leather armor was covered in bloodstains (not surprising to him to be honest especially here) but he noticed that she had a bow strung to her back with a quiver filled with arrows within easy reach of her hand should she ever need one. Looking towards where he knew her face to be he could barely see it, and as if sensing that he was searching for something and he watched as she reached up and lowered her hood and was slightly surprised to see that she had shoulder-length dirty blonde hair which was slightly curly. Her facial features were almost delicate which in turn told him that she was very likely noble-born, yet there was an aura of both danger and gentleness somehow living in harmony around her. But it was her eyes that surprised him the most. Instead of being a typical light blue, they almost glowed a sky blue in the light of the sun. Yet despite everything he noticed about her, he was swift to note that her stance was relaxed (albeit likely confused about his presence) and that was unusual for someone like her. “Ah, hello!” he finally greeted her once he was sure that she wasn’t likely to outright attack him. “You don't look Hollow, far from it! I am Solaire of Astora, an adherent of the Lord of Sunlight.” He introduced himself as Thalia forced herself to keep a neutral look on her face.

“Thalia,” She told him as he watched her, “If you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing here?”

The fact that she was being polite about it oddly pleased him, “Now that I am Undead, I have come to this great land, the birthplace of Lord Gwyn, to seek my very own sun!” She gained a confused look that she attempted to swiftly hide but he only chuckled. “...Do you find that strange? Well, you should! No need to hide your reaction. I get that look all the time! Hah hah hah!” Thalia wondered just how long he had been there and if staring at the sun like she had seen him doing had damaged his mind in someway. “Oh, ah-hah! So, I didn't scare you? I have a proposition, if you have a moment.”

Thalia wondered what he could possibly mean and figured that it couldn’t hurt to at least hear him out before she left to continue on her journey, “I have a little bit more time before I head back out.” She told him nonchalantly.

Solaire smiled then, “The way I see it, our fates appear to be intertwined. In a land brimming with Hollows, could that really be mere chance? So, what do you say? Why not help one another on this lonely journey?” He inquired hopefully as she thought his offer over for a moment.

_It wouldn’t hurt, and the gods know I could use the help. _“I don’t see why not,” She couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face then.

“This pleases me greatly! Well then, take this. We are amidst strange beings, in a strange land. The flow of time itself is convoluted; with heroes centuries old phasing in and out. The very fabric wavers, and relations shift and obscure. There's no telling how much longer your world and mine will remain in contact. But, use this, to summon one another as spirits, cross the gaps between the worlds, and engage in jolly co-operation!” he handed Thalia what looked to be like a white colored soapstone (something she had only heard rumors about) before speaking again. “Of course, we are not the only ones engaged in this. But I am a warrior of the sun! Spot my summon signature easily by its brilliant aura. If you miss it, you must be blind! Hah hah hah!” Thalia chuckled at that before bidding him goodbye, but as she walked away she swore she felt his gaze follow her for a moment before she disappeared from his sight. 


	3. Two

Thalia looked around as she shook her head, she was finally at the door that would lead her to the first of the Bells, looking behind her she watched as Solaire nodded that he was ready and smiled as she walked through the fog with him close behind. When he had told her that his signature’s aura would be bright, she hadn’t counted it on being almost as bright as the sun itself but now she was glad that he had told her about it. As a ranged weapon user she would likely find this fight (he had told her that beyond the door there would be some really tough enemies) near impossible and so she was beyond grateful that she had met him earlier and that he had given her the soapstone she had placed in a pouch at her side. Closing her eyes, Thalia prayed that she would be of some help to Solaire during this fight and not a hindrance. Despite having had some practice (if you could call cowering behind walls and other things like walls and filling enemies with arrows as if they were pincushions practice), Thalia greatly doubted her ability with her bow. As if he had sensed her doubting thoughts, she felt Solaire place a hand on her shoulder upon noticing that she had yet to draw her weapon; looking towards him, she noticed his determination and smiled back at him as he let her shoulder go and prepared his own weapons as he walked ahead of her. Closing her eyes once more, she took in a deep breath before exhaling and upon opening her eyes, she pulled her bow off of her back and notched it with an arrow as she followed after. When they were halfway to the other fogged door, Thalia felt the fine hairs on the back of her neck rise at the same time a shiver ran through her. The hunter in her felt the coming battle and was beginning to cry out for blood as a gargoyle near the first bell came alive. _Do Gargoyles even bleed? _The thought drifted into her mind for a brief moment before it vanished as the creature came flying at her and Solaire only to land before the golden colored phantom Knight. Raising her bow, Thalia focused on the creature as it reared back and made a prayer to whatever gods would listen for her arrow to strike the creature and not her (strangely sudden and only) friend in this desolate land. As she let the arrow loose, Solaire ducked swiftly and the arrow hit the creature, which in turn irked it into making a mistake that Solaire took swift advantage of. For several moments this pattern continued until the gargoyle fell, however just as it died, Thalia yelped as she was thrown into a wall causing Solaire to jerk his head around to see her hitting the ground as another gargoyle began to stalk over to her. Managing to gasp for air, Thalia looked up and clenched her jaws as her face turned into a snarl as she and the gargoyle stared each other down. Growling as she forced herself to swiftly stand, Thalia knew she was fucked (almost literally) or she could assume she was before the gargoyle suddenly cried out in pain as Lightning began to shock the shit out of it (this time almost literally). Blinking as a blade went through the creature as the lightning vanished, Thalia allowed herself to drop to her knees as the second gargoyle dropped dead and smiled as she saw Solaire standing there having come to her rescue. Forcing herself to stand, she felt him reach out and help her before allowing her to use him to steady herself with. Once she was steady enough and had nodded her thanks to Solaire, she bent down to pick up her dropped bow, only to barely hold back a hiss as she felt her ribs protest the motion. Or well, she _THOUGHT_ she held back the hiss, but the way Solaire looked at her told her otherwise. Waving him off, she watched him nod before the phantom version of him shimmered out of existence and some little part of her felt saddened by it. _What in the fuck is wrong with me?_ She growled before shaking her head clear of the feeling that tried to cling to her like a gods forsaken cobweb. _I barely know him! There’s no way I can already be missing him. _Slinging her bow upon her back, Thalia made her way to the bell and soon found herself climbing up not one but two metal ladders just to get to the bell before she managed to pull on the lever she noted below the massive bell (with much pain as her ribs continued to protest her movements). Turning to look at the bell, she watched as it swung back and forth and shook her head, she did not miss the fact that the echoing sound was still going on in her ears but that was to be expected when standing almost directly underneath the damn bell itself. Blinking as she shook her head again, Thalia began to head out of the bell tower (making sure to slide down the ladder as her legs were starting to protest the thought of climbing down), before re-entering the tower to slide down the second ladder. Once she reached the bottom of the second ladder, Thalia turned around and damn near jumped out of her skin as a curse escaped her upon spotting a man standing nearby who had not been there before. Of course that seemed to entertain the man slightly as he greeted her.

“Greetings. I am Oswald of Carim, the pardoner. Thou art a friend. For thee, a warm welcome. Cometh thou to confess? Or to accuse? For indeed all sin is my domain.”

“Thalia,” Thalia tentatively greeted him with her name and saw him give an entertained smirk.

“Thou appearest to lack faith, but the Gods are magnanimous. If thou desireth to preserve thine humanity, then confess thy misdoings to me. Be it granting absolution or doling penance; all sin is my domain.”

If it weren’t for the fact that he had just scared the wits out of Thalia, she likely would have asked him to tell her more, but her figurative hackles were remaining raised as she felt uncomfortable around him. “I think I’m good for the moment,” Thalia managed to tell him before turning to leave.

“Thou art welcome anytime. It is only human to commit a sin... Heh heh heh heh...” He told her as she all but fled from that place. Feeling a shiver run down her spine, Thalia prayed to the gods that she would never have to see him again, but then again who could say what would happen between now and the future.

***

Returning to the place where she had originally started, Firelink Shrine as it was, Thalia sat at the bonfire to rest (allowing it’s soothing smoke to heal her wounds in full), before offering up a humanity to keep her humanity restored. Standing to move away from the bonfire, she wondered if that strange knight she had freed from the cell she had found in the church was anywhere around and finally noticed that there was a path leading down to somewhere. Deciding to check it out (because she was apparently a glutton for punishment), Thalia followed the path down and saw none other then the knight from the church sitting nearby. _How convenient… _She almost thought bitterly, before seeing the knight turn his head her way.

“Ahh, hello there. I have your reward. Please accept it. I am grateful to you for freeing me... Keh heh heh heh...” The golden armored knight, Lautrec she remembered his name to be, cackled. They spoke a little bit longer before she decided to turn and leave him to whatever he was doing before she had arrived and as she vanished from his sight, she lifted her gaze from the ground to see someone sitting near the bonfire looking her way.

“I was wondering when you would come back up,” The voice was familiar and caused her figurative hackles to raise.

“And here I was thinking that I would be spared the joys of seeing your ugly mug again, what ever shall I do?” Thalia pretended to be exasperated. Little did she know her tone of voice caught the attention of the golden knight below and he (against his much better judgment) stood from where he was sitting and climbed the stairs to see what caused her to sound how she was. Reaching the top of the stairs, Lautrec leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest as he watched the exchange between Thalia and this newcomer.

“As much as I would just _LOVE_ to trade quips with you, my dearest sister,” The newcomer to the shrine spoke up, revealing to Lautrec a shocking (it wasn’t really shocking to him) confirmation to whatever thought he had briefly had of Thalia likely having a sibling, but it wasn’t _his_ place to interrupt this warm and fuzzy family reunion.

“What are you here for then, because I doubt it’s for a family reunion. As if I would be caught dead in one anyway...” Thalia’s voice was filled with irritation now and Lautrec began to tick off the seconds in his head of how long it would take before Thalia likely killed the man who now stood.

“I came here because of two reasons. One is because I am Undead as well and the other is even less pleasant news.”

“What, in the names of all the gods and goddesses, could be less pleasant then seeing you, Eluric?” Thalia inquired as her brother frowned, but what he said next almost had Thalia trip as she walked towards the other side of the bonfire while Lautrec’s brows shot sky high. “Wh...what?” All hint of irritation was instantly gone from her voice as her brother, Eluric, nodded as Thalia paused in her tracks. “But… true death… It shouldn’t be possible with the First Flame dying!”

“Somehow it is,” Eluric watched his sister closely, he could see the whirlwind of emotions running through her but reached into a pouch at his side and felt his heart breaking even more as he slowly pulled out the item. “Before he passed, he asked me to give you this. Said it was a necklace your mother gave to him and he figured he would give to you “when the time was right”.” Thalia reached out a shaking hand and took the item from her brother to see a semi-familiar necklace.

“I...”

“Don’t… I may not have been the best brother around, but I will be damned if I refuse say that Father’s death came as a shock to me as well.” Eluric watched Thalia as she studied the necklace and traced over it lightly with her other hand, which was shaking with emotions that she was forcing herself to hold back. “I’m sorry sister... I wish I didn’t have to bring you such horrible news,” With that Eluric turned and left as Thalia remained standing still.

“_I wish you didn’t have to either...”_ The hand that she held the necklace in closed around the delicate item, and dropped to her side as her head dropped too. Lautrec remained watching her, he wasn’t sure how much time had passed but when he finally made to speak, he found himself frowning. He wasn’t sure _WHY_ he was caring about how she was feeling, he didn’t in all honesty (or that’s what he told himself), but he did know one thing and that it was never easy to lose a family member. Walking towards her, he placed a hand on her shoulder and made to speak but she only shrugged his hand off. “I’m fine,” Thalia told him before she placed the necklace in a pouch before walking away to head to her next destination. Her words were a lie, of course, and she knew they were a lie (and she was sure that Lautrec knew they were a lie as well) as no one could be “fine” after hearing about the death of a beloved family member. Feeling her anguish at the loss of her beloved father turn into a dark self-loathing, Thalia felt the anger in her rising and decided to go do the only thing she could at that moment: kill things as well as hunt down the second Bell of Awakening.

As Thalia left the Shrine, Eluric came back into the area to see the golden knight watching after his sister. “There’s nothing you can do for her right now except leave her be.” Eluric spoke up as the knight turned to him.

“I didn’t ask you if there was.”

“I know you didn’t,” Eluric turned his gaze to his sister’s retreating back. “But I also know you tried, despite the uncaring attitude I see you give off, to ease the pain she is feeling from the loss of our father.” Lautrec said nothing, he didn’t need to as Eluric spoke again, “My own mother always said that despite Thalia being bastard-born, she has rage enough to rival that of a dragon. A friend of my family’s used to say that he feared the day the “sleeping dragon within Thalia would awaken”.”

Despite how badly Lautrec didn’t want to know, he found himself asking the question that came unbidden to him. “Why?”

“Not really sure, but if I had to guess? It’s likely because my sister holds in all of her darker emotions such as rage and the like.” Eluric shook his head, “One of these days that tight grip she holds on those emotions will break and when it does, I feel sorry for the poor bastard that is the reason behind it.” 

“Why are you telling me this, it’s not like I care.” Lautrec frowned as Eluric turned back to him.

“I tell you this not because you care, and not because I care about you,” Eluric shook his head, “but to warn you against doing anything that would piss her off. She may be gentle and caring on the outside but I can promise you that underneath that, Thalia is a huntress and, in some sense of the word, is very befitting to the creature upon my family’s coat of arms, even more so then I.” With that Eluric turned and left the Shrine, this time, unfortunately, for good.


	4. Three

Thalia was killing the Hollow aimlessly now as she fired arrows off or used the shortsword at her side to slice through her enemies. The gods knew that she didn’t need any more humanity, she had more then what she knew what to do with, yet her anguish at the loss of her father was wrecking havoc with her. Three times now, she had had to use a humanity at a bonfire to restore herself to being human due to mistakes and miscalculations she had made that had, of course, caused her to start Hollowing. After she _**FINALLY**_ reached a relatively safe bonfire that wasn’t the one she had been at several times before. She allowed herself a moment to breath, but that would prove to be a mistake as her sorrow finally broke free of its “cage” and tears she had not realized she could shed began sliding down her face. Realizing that something was sliding down her cheeks, she reached up and touched her cheek only to pull her hand away to see that her gloves were stained with her tears. Taking a deep breath to steady herself (and steel her nerves), Thalia stood, wiped away any traces of her tears,and began to head towards the huge area she had noted being nothing more then empty space with what looked to be an infinite waterfall flowing out of sight. As she made her approach to the door that would allow her entrance to the area below, a golden light captured her attention and she approached it to see that it was, in fact, Solaire’s signature and she couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face. Touching his signature, she watched as the Knight appeared before her and greeted her the same way he had before. For a reason she just could not name, seeing him again brought a smile to her face and chased her sorrow away, at least for a little while. Watching him look around, he turned back to her and spoke, “Gaping Dragon?”

“I need to get to Blighttown,” She told him as he smiled with a chuckle. They discussed a quick strategy before Solaire hummed to himself.

“It wouldn’t hurt to have one more person,” He told her as she thought it over.

“True,” she agreed. While she figured that they could take on the dragon together, she also saw the logic in his suggestion. “I’ll take a quick look around to see if I can spot another signature,” She told him as he promised to stay and wait for her. Whether it was purely luck, or just pure chance, she did find another signature, though when she touched it, she quickly discovered that it belonged to none other then Lautrec. After greeting each other, Thalia lead him back to where Solaire waited, but while Solaire (almost reluctantly) filled Lautrec in with the plan (to which the golden armored knight agreed that the plan would work, Thalia herself found herself staring off towards the area they would soon be in. She became so lost in trying to figure out why she was feeling such a sense of dread that when a hand was placed on her shoulder, she yelped in surprise as her head whipped around to see Lautrec pulling away.

“Ready?” He asked as she took in a deep breath to steady herself.

“Can we ever truly be ready?” She fired back at him causing him to smirk under his helm as Solaire chuckled. “But I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” Turning to head down the stairs, she could feel Lautrec’s gaze not only follow, but remain on, her as she walked down the stairs with him and Solaire close behind. Walking through the foggy door, Thalia shivered as the temperature suddenly plummeted and she noted that she wasn’t the only one to notice it. Hearing the familiar sound of weapons being drawn, Thalia barely cast a glance at the two knights who moved forward as Thalia prepared her bow with an arrow. Following the Knights after they had gotten a good distance away from her, Thalia stopped and knelt down to allow what little shadows where cast to hide her as the Knights stopped. Seeing something move in the distance, Thalia frowned as she squinted and noticed what looked to be a reptilian head peeking over the waterfall. _The fuck?_ Seeing it look around, Thalia half wondered if that was all the fearsome Gaping Dragon looked like, but soon her eyes went wide as it climbed over the edge of waterfall and about dropped her weapon. “_Oh… Holy shit…_” She said as Lautrec, who was the Knight closest to her, fought back a chuckle upon hearing her words of horrified shock upon seeing the entire body of the dragon. _I can see now why Solaire suggested another person… We’re fucked… _Shaking her head clear of thoughts she swiftly stood and pulled back on the string of her bow as Solaire and Lautrec charged to get on either side of the beast. Firing an arrow to distract the dragon (and to irk it) Thalia watched as the dragon looked around for her but she was already on the move as Solaire and Lautrec began their attack. Watching as the two knights swiftly leapt out of the dragons way, she watched the creature body slam the floor and fired off several more arrows, with one of her arrows hitting an eye and successfully blinding the dragon, making it easier for Lautrec to rush in a slash at it several times. For what felt like hours, but was only a few moments, this pattern continued until the creature finally fell. After telling her companions “Thank you” and watching them disappear, Thalia left that area swiftly to continue the journey to Blighttown. Stopping at the place that would lead to where she needed to go, Thalia frowned. For some reason, she felt a sense of dread creeping upon her but couldn’t figure out why or what the cause of it was and that worried her. Shaking her head for the umpteenth time that she knew of, Thalia continued on after opening the doors and slid down a ladder to land on a wooden walkway but once her feet were firmly planted on the wood, Thalia turned and looked around. “Oh...” She said as she looked around, “Fuck me...” It wasn’t the fact that she was directionally challenged that would screw with her as she realized just how fucked she was here (she did, in fact, have a great sense of direction, _most_ of the time) but it was the fact that as she raced past enemies, she could clearly see that this place was a maze. Spotting an unlit bonfire off in the distance, she booked it and was soon sitting at it, after having lit it, and with a sigh, she allowed herself a moment’s respite before looking around to see where she needed to go. Looking down over the edge of the bridge, Thalia groaned before lifting her eyes to search for a relatively safe path; upon spotting one she began to head that way (getting lost along the way several times) but stopped halfway there as a song came to her mind. “Been years since I last heard that song,” She frowned with furrowed brows, “wonder why it’s all of sudden coming back to me.” Shrugging as she began to hum the tune, Thalia continued on her way not realizing that _FAR_ above her a particular golden armored knight was now stalking after her brother, only for said golden knight to discover something about Eluric that would surely break Thalia’s heart if she ever found out about Eluric’s fate.

***

Breathing heavily as she settled the fire within her veins, Thalia looked to the deceased body of the person (or creature, she wasn’t exactly sure) and walked over to take whatever had dropped from the body of the creature. After doing so, Thalia went over to where the bell was and pulled back on the lever; turning to face the bell, Thalia watched it swing back and forth as it began to ring. After it was done ringing, Thalia saw a hole in the floor and leapt down, however, as she stood she felt something pulling her attention to what looked like a wall and frowned as she approached it. Reaching out towards the wall she watched it vanish as her arm phased right through it and, for a moment, she panicked before realizing that this was one of the rumored illusory walls she had heard whispers of. Looking beyond the now revealed doorway, Thalia saw what she could rightly assume to be a man (or what was possibly once a person) laden with what looked to be eggs and cautiously approached him. “...Oh dear...What have we here? Are you a new servant?”

Thalia looked to the man as he spoke and blinked, “Servant?” She inquired as he looked up and frowned at her. Thalia listened as he explained quickly (with a rather irked tone to his voice). Wondering who this “Fair Lady” was that he spoke of, Thalia figured it couldn’t hurt to answer truthfully. “Is there anything special I should or would need to do if I answer yes?” Thalia inquired as the egg covered man watched her before shaking his head.

“Go along and have audience with the Fair Lady,” he instructed her as he moved, “I pray that you will mind your manners!” Entering the area after him, Thalia looked around and felt her heart stop at the sight she was met with. Approaching the spider like woman, Thalia noted how frail the being was and felt her heart breaking at the sight.

Finishing her approach, Thalia heard the woman speak and it almost startled her. “Quelaag? My dear sister.” the woman spoke up and Thalia felt sorrow well up.

“I am sorry, Fair Lady, I am not your sister,” Thalia spoke softly and sadly while not realizing that the egg-bearing man was staring at her in shock. Upon the frail being before her asking her who she was, Thalia introduced herself. “My name is Thalia, and I am the Chosen Undead who is said to continue the age of fire.” Watching as the frail being reached out, Thalia swiftly lowered her hood and felt the tender caress of the woman’s hand upon her cheek.

“Why are you crying?” The Fair Lady inquired as Thalia came to realize that she was, indeed, crying.

“I am crying for you, my lady,” Thalia responded as the woman before her smiled softly.

“Do not cry for me,” The woman told Thalia softly.

“I cannot help it, please,” Thalia dropped to her knees as the lady’s hand followed her, “Tell me if there is something, _**anything**_, I can do for you.” The woman smiled then and told Thalia what was needed to be done.

“...But only my servants can bring me these sprites.”

Thalia thought on that for several moments, _If becoming one of her followers means saving her then I will gladly do so. No one deserves this pain she is in._ “Then allow me to become one, allow me to aid them in bringing you Humanities so your pain may ease up.” Thalia all but begged as the Fair Lady smiled with a very soft chuckle then.

“You need not beg,” The Fair Lady pulled her hand from Thalia’s face and reached out her hands. “Place your hands within mine,” Thalia did so and felt a strange sensation settle over her as the Fair Lady spoke once more, “This is how we will exchange the humanities you bring to me.”

“Then take those that I have now.”

“I will only take a few at a time, you still need some to prevent yourself from Hollowing, my dear Undead.” The Fair Lady smiled as she took a small amount of humanities from Thalia. Pulling away Thalia felt almost sad to no longer feel the gentle hands of the Fair Lady upon her own. “Now go, my faithful servant. Continue your quest.”

“I will, but I will return as well, of that I swear to you.” Thalia stood as the Fair Lady smiled.

“I know you will,” Thalia then turned away to swiftly rest at the bonfire before standing and leaving the Fair Lady who listened to Thalia’s already soft footsteps fade. Stopping as the egg-burdened man spoke, Thalia spoke with him for a moment before continuing on while feeling as if she finally had a true purpose in her life. _Well that nagging feeling of having no purpose is gone so this must be my purpose until I leave to sacrifice myself for the First Flame. _Yet there was still a nagging feeling bothering her, a feeling that she was soon to discover something that would almost break her of her resolve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thalia has joined the Chaos Servant Covenant and is about to head directly into one hell of an emotional roller-coaster. I know I'm cruel.


	5. Four

Thalia pulled her hood back up and sighed as she re-entered the maze known as Blighttown. Humming to herself, Thalia ran as if demons were on her heels and slowly (and painfully from both the fact that the swampy area around her was poisonous and she had, on more then one occasion tripped and fell into the water) began to leave the swampy place. Once she was out of there, with a key to someplace added into a pouch she was specifically keeping these keys in, and had used the key to gain access to a new area, Thalia decided to head to Firelink Shrine. Arriving with a sigh, Thalia passed by Lautrec who was just sitting in his usual place (likely very bored out of his mind for all Thalia knew) and barely spared him a passing glance as she headed up the stairs though she could feel his gaze following her. Listening as his armor creaked as he stood, Thalia half wondered what he was planning but also realized that right now, she could really give two less fucks. After she did what she needed to at the bonfire (and speaking with the warrior she had just nicknamed the Crestfallen) Thalia began to head out of the Shrine and heard the soft clinking of armor following her as she went. _What is he planning?_ She wondered as she sensed Lautrec following her. Rolling her eyes, Thalia went to see what the Crestfallen warrior had complained about and blinked as she saw a strange looking serpent like creature. After speaking with the serpent, Thalia left the shrine (while wondering what in the names of all the gods was wrong with her) and she continued on to head towards wherever it was that would allow her to continue her journey, the whole while she was very aware that Lautrec was following her. As she decidedly ignored him (for the moment) she continued her journey at a steady pace as the was no select time frame of when or how swiftly she had to finish this journey of hers, thus she felt no need for her to run around like a chicken with its head cut-off at this time, after all, the sun was (very surprisingly) setting here in the area outside of Anor Londo (as she had learned the name of the city that she had to go to) and this was around the time she had always been told was the best time for hunting, or well _o__ne_ of the best times for hunting. While she had not been able to put her skills to the test a living human, as an Undead she was eager to see what she could accomplish during the darkness of night. Stopping to watch the sun set in a relatively safe area, Thalia could almost, almost, understand Solaire’s obsession now. “You know, stalking me isn’t the smartest of ideas there, Knight Lautrec.” Thalia called back, startling the man she suddenly addressed.

“How?”

“Do you really think I wouldn’t have noticed the sound of your armor or the occasional glint of gold as you followed after me?” Thalia inquired as he thought that over.

“Point made and noted,” Lautrec frowned as he realized that he would need to be twice as sneaky around her. Walking towards her, he stopped beside her to watch the sunset alongside her, “Your brother hollowed.” He figured it best to get that out of the way as swiftly as possible. Normally he wouldn’t have cared to say anything about it, but something told him that she _**NEEDED**_ to know.

“I had a feeling he would,” Thalia closed her eyes.

“I put him out of his misery.”

“I’d expect nothing less.”

“Aren’t you going to question why I would do such a thing?”

“No,” Thalia re-opened her eyes and shook her head. “I knew he wouldn’t make it as an undead. He wasn’t strong enough to last.”

“And you believe you are?”

“I have to be. I don’t have anything or anyone left.”

Lautrec dared a glance at her to see that her eyes were filled with unshed tears, “Yet, you are a servant to that Firekeeper down near the second Bell.”

“She has given me a purpose and a reason to continue on this likely very suicidal mission to continue the Age of Fire,” Thalia replied as she sighed.

“Why her?”

“Why not? My family is no more. My father through a broken heart, my mother a week after my birth, and my idiot of a brother through Hollowing,” Thalia told him as she rolled her neck and shoulders. “With the Fair Lady, at least I have a purpose and a reason to keep from hollowing myself.”

“This sounds like one of those stories that starts off shitty and ends just as shitty.”

Thalia chuckled as she removed her hood, allowing him to see her face properly now and what he had assumed to be mostly unblemished pale skin was actually scared in three areas “My story has been nothing but shitty. Born the bastard daughter to a noble father, I never had the easiest life to begin with.” he watched as she reached up to touch the mostly faint scar over her left eye, a scar he noticed only because she touched the part of it that rested on her cheek. “My father may have loved me dearly, but I was never anything more then his bastard off-spring.” brushing her hair back, Thalia lifted her hood back up and turned to leave that area. “Just so you know, Knight Lautrec, I know you killed the Firekeeper at Firelink. If I didn’t need to go through with getting the Lordvessel I would actually bother to waist my time with you.”

Lautrec looked at her in stunned silence before recovering, “How did you..?”

Stopping as she turned her head to look at him over her shoulder, “_**NOTHING**_ escapes the notice of a huntress. But make no mistake, I will come after you eventually. Whether I let you live or die depends on how I feel after I visit Anor Londo.” With that she left him standing there utterly confused, until she heard a growl escape him and soon found herself pinned to a nearby wall with one of his weapons against her throat. “You really think this terrifies me?” She inquired as she watched him.

“I don’t need to terrify you,” He snarled in response, “Maybe I should just kill you now.”

Thalia chuckled, “Oh but you won’t.”

“And what makes you think I wouldn’t?”

“You’re a hunter like me. Though you wear the title of “knight”, I can tell you enjoy the thrill of the hunt.” Thalia smirked now, “Besides,” Lautrec watched her eyes carefully while wondering what was going on in that head of hers. “You won’t get the chance.”

“What -_**GAH!****”**_ He felt her knee colliding with his crotch and he crumpled to the ground in pain which, in turn, forced him to drop the dagger that he had been holding at her throat. 

Approaching him to crouch in front of him, he noted the dark smirk on her lips, “Remember this, _Lautrec of Carim_, _**I **_am the huntress and _**you**_ are my prey. I will come for you in time, and when I do, you will pray to your beloved goddess that you had not made _**ME**_ your enemy. The dragon does not fear death.”

Watching her stand, he saw her leave and growled low but he couldn’t help but (secretly) admire her as she walked away. Oh he was furious and still in a great amount of pain from her really low blow (literally), but the admiration was there. Once he was recovered enough, he cautiously stood, scooping up his dagger from where it rested and looked in the direction she had vanished into. “We shall see if you are a dragon,” He smirked then as he looked to the dagger, “or if you are nothing more then a lamb for the slaughter.”

***

After night had fallen, Thalia walked (or rather stalked) along the darkened streets of the burgh. Though she had no need to eat or drink, a part of her yearned for more then this boring existence she was living now; granted she couldn’t exactly call it _**boring**_ per say, but without the need to sleep hindering her progress, things tended to get a bit stale after a bit. Stalking around, she wondered if there were any bottles of wine (preferably the good stuff) left in this dump of a city and soon began to scour around. Finding herself rather lucky, Thalia found not one but three crates _**FULL**_ of bottled wine (and like she had hoped it was the good stuff) and was now seated on the roof of a nearby building and was now drinking (she had lost count as of to how much she had had) and softly singing another song she knew from a time she had almost forgotten, _“...Far across the land, there I’ll find my home. If you’ll take my hand, guide me as I roam...”_ As she began singing the song she was not aware of a pair of booted feet walking her way as the owner of said feet had spotted her sitting on the roof. _“I have walked a thousand miles __t__o find where I belong. __Searched the world and all its isles, but still I wander on...”_ Thalia smiled as she continued to remain oblivious to the person who had now paused in their tracks to listen to her sing. _“__Far across the land, there I’ll find my home. If you’ll take my hand, guide me as I roam. __I’ve been lost for far too long, I need to find my way. Trying hard to carry on but still feel far away...” _Thalia sighed for a moment, “_Far across the land, there I’ll find my home. If you’ll take my hand, guide me as I roam. __Far across the land, waiting there for me all I ever planned, just as I had dreamed...” _Thalia trailed off for a moment to smile before continuing on, _“Give me strength to believe when I’m losing faith. Help me past the darkness in my mind.”_ Thalia closed her eyes now, “_Far across the land, there I’ll find my home. If you’ll take my hand, guide me as I roam. __Far across the land, waiting there for me all I ever planned, just as I had dreamed...” _Thalia smiled as she hummed.

“Thalia?”

“Holy shit!” Thalia yelped as she about jumped out of her skin, of course that also meant that she about fell of the roof but the person who had startled her was swift to lung to her side and pull her back onto the roof. Looking to the person, she barely saw who it was through the fuzzy haze that was settling over her. “Solaire?” Seeing the sunlight warrior was not something she was expecting, especially since he was seeing her in a semi-drunken state, but he was here whether or not she was expecting him. “What are you doing here?”

“I was going to ask you the same,” Solaire told her as he took note of what was scattered around her. “How much have you had to drink?” he asked worriedly as he saw several bottles of wine scattered around. 

“I lost count around the third or fourth bottle,” she responded as she turned away as Solaire turned back to her. “Either way it doesn’t matter.”

“Thalia,” Solaire reached out to hold her wrist as she reached out to grip the bottle she had set down. As she looked towards him, Solaire noted that her eyes were greatly unfocused and frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“Why would something be wrong?”

Solaire looked around once more, “A person only drinks this much by themselves when something tragic has happened.”

“I’ve drank more then what I’ve had before when by myself,” Thalia shrugged as Solaire turned back to her.

“Thalia,” Thalia turned her gaze back towards the Sunlight warrior and in her drunken haze, she could almost swear that he was about as brightly gold as the sun itself. “What’s wrong?” He asked her once more, this time with the most sincere voice she had ever heard from anyone and thus she found it impossible to not tell him what she had learned before the fight with the Gaping Dragon, what had happened after the battle with said dragon, and what she had learned some few hours ago from Lautrec. During her explanation, Solaire remained quiet as he listened to her, but eventually she shook her head.

“…and now I find myself wondering what the point to all this is,” She waved her hand around, “I have no one in my family left and even if I am successful in doing what I came here to do, no one outside of a select few will ever know it was me.” Thalia shook her head before freeing her wrist from Solaire’s grip. Pulling her knees up to her chest she placed her chin on her knees and stared blankly out of the dull colored world before her. “Maybe I should have just stayed in that cell in the Asylum...” she removed her chin from her knees but placed her forehead where her chin had once been.

Solaire sighed as he shook his head, “Come on,” He spoke softly. “Let’s get you to a bed so you may sleep of the wine.”

“Don’t know where you’d find one,” Thalia muttered as Solaire stood before helping her.

“We just happen to be on the roof of an inn, I’m sure there’s a bed available,” he chuckled softly as she frowned.

“How the fuck did I manage that?” She wondered more to herself then to him as he smiled before she felt herself lose her balance. Luckily for her, Solaire caught her and soon hoisted her up into his arms before carrying her to a nearby area as a man would carry his bride on the wedding night. Feeling sleep demanding to be acknowledge, Thalia felt her now heavy-lidded eyes close and soon dropped off the face of the world as Solaire looked to her as her head soon rested against his shoulder. 

Smiling as he softly chuckled, Solaire soon managed to enter the inn and found an unlocked room that was empty of most things save the usual items one would find in an inn. Carefully laying her down upon the bed, he soon pulled away to cover her up and studied her for several moments, before turning to fetch her weapons and set them near the bed within her reach. Turning back to her, Solaire noticed that she was curled up and smiled again before reaching out to brush some of her hair out of her face and back under her hood. _“I’ll see you in Anor Londo, Thalia.”_ He promised softly before leaving her to sleep off the drunken state she was in.


	6. Five

Thalia _**ALMOST**_ regretted drinking as much wine as she had. The hangover she had due to it was almost enough to drive her mad, but she would push through and deal with it as she dealt with everything else. Walking in the direction of the massive fortress she saw in the distance, Thalia walked softly as usual but as she walked she felt the sensation of being followed and sighed quietly to herself. She knew exactly who was stalking her again, but she had no time for him even if she didn’t mind his lurking. Smirking, Thalia looked around in pretend cautiousness before slipping into an alleyway and swiftly drawing her blade she slipped into the shadows to await the person who was following her. Hearing a curse, she waited until the person rushed to catch up to her before she lashed out with her sword only to have it meet a wickedly curved blade, which wrapped around the blade before yanking it away, leaving Thalia (almost) defenseless. Luckily for her, she had picked up a dagger from somewhere she had forgotten about by now and pulling it out of it’s sheath at her belt, she came face to face with Lautrec who just happened to copy her motion and now held his own parrying dagger at her throat as she held her dagger with the tip angled with the sharp point resting just under the area where his armor met his helm. “If I didn’t know better, Lautrec, I’d almost say you enjoy my company.”

Lautrec snorted at that, “I won’t lie, you are _**FAR**_ more entertaining then anyone else I’ve come across, but I’ve decided we should end this little hunt of ours,” taking something from a pouch at his side, he pressed something into her free hand before pulling away to lift up his helm allowing her to see his face and she wasn’t surprised to see that he had the usual blue hair of those hailing from Carim, but it was the irises of his eyes that captured her attention as they were so dark in color they looked almost black. She watched him lean in and he spoke so softly into her ear that she figured he was followed. _“__We shall see if you are a Dragon or if you are a lamb for the slaughter.__”_As he pulled away he paused before suddenly moving his head closer and claiming her lips in a sudden (and very startling) kiss. Pulling away he smirked, “See if the Sunlight idiot likes that,” He grinned wickedly before cackling and walking away from her.

“What the fuck just happened?” She asked herself as she watched him replace his helm as he walked away. Turning to what he had given her she saw what looked to be an orb as black as the night with an eye on it. Looking back in the direction Lautrec disappeared off into, a part of Thalia wondered why he had gone to the trouble of handing her the stone, when he could have just left her to figure out how to invade his world by herself. _I don’t know what he thinks he’s doing, but if he want’s to fight then we will do it on my terms, not his._ Turning back of the direction of the fortress, Thalia shook her head and continued on. She had no time to think on whatever it was that was driving Lautrec into doing whatever he was, she would deal with him when the time was appropriate. No, what she _**NEEDED**_ to focus on was both getting through the fortress that was likely going to be a royal pain to get through and to find a way to get rid of the hangover that was still lurking around. Huffing as she began the trek, Thalia flinched (and if a pained groan escaped her, well no one really needed to know) when the sun hit her eyes. Brushing it off, Thalia allowed her mind to wander as she walked and a memory from a time before the curse revealed itself upon her, came softly back to her; allowing it to take over her thoughts, Thalia continued on her journey as she explored this half-forgotten memory.

_Thalia sat well hidden in one of the large trees that overlooked the gardens below where her father and his original wife spoke now, or rather argued. “...You should be rid of her. She is a stain on our family’s good name and keeping her around is no better then keeping a rabid dog alive.” _

“_**Thalia is my daughter!”**__ Her father roared out, silencing his wife. “__Bastard or not, she is not going anywhere.” Thalia’s father growled. He was growing weary of his wife constantly putting Thalia down or trying to get him to send her off to someplace or even to abandon her. “I will not abandon or ship her off just because you __dislike her.” _

_Thalia watched _ _the two adults from her hiding spot and frowned _ _as she continued to listen in on the conversation. “But she is a-!”_

“_**I DON’T CARE WHAT SHE IS IN YOUR MIND!”**__ Her Father roared once more, “Thalia is MY child, __I will decide what happens with her __**NOT**__ you! Now this discussion is over and there will be no more talk of kicking my daughter out of the house in any form.” _

As the memory faded away, Thalia (for the life of her) just could not seem to figure out _**WHY**_ her step-mother, her father’s original and only wife, had hated her so. Thalia hadn’t _**CHOSEN**_ to be conceived and born. She hadn’t _**CHOSEN**_ to be a bastard-born child. It was just the hand fate had dealt her. Yet for reasons still unfathomable to her, Thalia’s step-mother had despised her with a passion. Stopping on the bridge to the fortress, Thalia turned to look out over the land and found her gaze drawn to the sky as her thoughts tried to puzzle out why she had been so hated by that woman. She wasn’t looking towards the sun, instead she was watching the fat fluffy clouds she saw, but even then she was unfocused. She was soon so deeply lost in thought that she completely missed the familiar sound of a pair of boots approaching her; feeling a hand being placed on her shoulders, Thalia turned her head to look at the hand before following the arm it was attached to up to it’s owner and saw someone else she had known before becoming undead standing near her. “Saewynn?”

“Good to see you to,” The person that Thalia had called Saewynn, smiled as it took Thalia a bit longer to recognize that the person in front of her was, in fact, her old friend Saewynn.

“What are you doing here?”

“Really?” Saewynn smiled as she prepared to pass by Thalia.

“Undead?”

“Why did you ask if you knew?”

“Because everyone I’ve ever told about you believes you to be nothing more then a figment of my imagination,” Thalia sighed as she leaned on the stone of the pathway.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“Because nothing really surprises you?” Thalia chuckled as her friend stopped and turned back to her. “But anyway, what are you doing here? Normally you’d always be a few steps ahead of me.”

“Apparently the worlds decided that you were in need of a friend,” Saewynn motioned for Thalia to follow her and they walked to an area just beyond the pathway and off to the side of the gate. “What’s going on with you? I’d recognize your “I'm in a lowly pity party” mood anywhere.”

“It’s nothing,” Thalia tried telling her longtime friend who frowned.

“That is such a load of bullshit,” Saewynn sat down as Thalia stood before her, neither of the women noticing a particular golden knight passing by them (or well Thalia didn’t as she turned away from her friend but Saewynn did) nor did they notice when he slipped into the fortress to hid behind a pillar to listen into their conversation and watch them from where his armor wouldn’t give his presence away. “Tell me what is wrong, Thal.”

“Where would I start?”

“Anywhere.”

“You’re not helping, Sae.” Thalia huffed as she turned back to her friend who shrugged.

“Not my problem, but tell me what is wrong.”

Thalia sighed as she turned away once more before explaining to her friend what all happened since she had become undead. “...and I don’t blame Lautrec for it, in fact I’m extremely grateful to him for doing what I wouldn’t have the heart to do...” 

Saewynn was silent for several moments. “Well...shit.”

“Sums up my life...” Thalia sighed as she shook her head as she tried shoving back her emotions.

“You’re doing it again,” Thalia looked to Saewynn then. “Shoving your emotions into a little bottle. Keep that up and one of these days you’ll snap.” 

“We all run the risk of snapping, it’s apart of our human nature. A person can only be pushed so far before they naturally turn on people.”

“True, but the kindest of souls are the ones who are the most surprising to see do that.”

“You say that like you’ve seen it happen,” Thalia watched as Saewynn shook her head.

“I haven’t but I’m sure before this “grand adventure” is over I’ll live long enough _TO_ see it happen.” Thalia turned away then as she sighed. They spoke for a while longer before Saewynn stood and prepared to leave. “Well, I’m heading out to do whatever it is that needs to be done. Do me a favor and don’t Hollow. I would hate to have to kill that ugly mug of yours.”

“Says the one who has the ugliest of mugs.”

“Oooh. Low blow.”

“Only for you, my dear Saewynn!” Thalia cackled as Saewynn went to hit her upside the head. “Missed me!”

“Too bad I don’t swing that way or I’d kiss you!” Saewynn smirked as Thalia raised a brow.

“I call bullshit on that, I _**KNOW**_ your preferences bitch.”

“Just as I know yours,” Saewynn leapt down and walked over to Thalia to pull the other woman into a hug, which Thalia returned. “Be safe Thal. I really would hate to loose such a shining example of an excellent friend.”

“Aye. Same to you, Sae.” With that the two women parted and Thalia watched as Saewynn disappeared into the fortress with a smile on her face. Turning back towards the horizon, Thalia stood where she was for a few moments longer with a smile on her face. _Maybe in another life we could have been together Saewynn and maybe in another life we will be. But for now, you are my dearest friend and always will be. _Closing her eyes briefly, Thalia shook her head before turning and heading into the fortress where she began the agonizing journey through the fortress with Lautrec following behind, at a relatively safe distance where he was less likely to be spotted by her, but eventually their worlds separated and Lautrec decided to race ahead of her so he could await for her to arrive within his world.


	7. Six

Thalia stood looking out over the city of the gods, Anor Londo. She had heard stories, stories that were nothing more then rumors now, of the ancient city where the gods we said to have once resided before the legendary Lord of Cinder, Lord Gwyn, sacrificed himself to the first flame. Feeling a slight breeze pick up, Thalia was surprised that there was any form of wind here at all. Approaching the edge of the area she had been carefully dropped in where it met the stairs leading down below her, Thalia removed her hood and studied the city before her. Suddenly she was somehow reminded of her father’s words and she closed her eyes. _“For you father. __Only for you__ I will continue o__n this path__.”_Opening her eyes with her resolve steeled and ready to go, Thalia turned and followed the stairs down. Coming across an armored giant of a being, Thalia was content to ignore him in favor of turning left but that was when the giant spoke, nearly startling her to her wits end. After he had informed her of the location of the nearest bonfire (and told her of a blacksmith who could repair her weapons and gear) he returned to being silent and Thalia continued on her way. After finding the room with the bonfire, Thalia noted a woman garbed in armor standing near to the fire but also leaning against a wall. After doing everything she needed to, Thalia stood and left the area but she soon stopped as she gained a better view of the city.

“Beautiful isn’t it?” Thalia turned to see an unfamiliar Undead man walking up to her wearing what she figured to the Elite Knight armor set, minus the helm.

“In it’s own way,” Thalia replied as the man finished walking up to her. Studying the man, she wondered who he was and he smirked.

“Ah! Where are my manners!” he smiled before giving her a half bow, “Knight Calemund of Carim at your service, my Lady.”

“Thalia,” Thalia introduced herself as the man stood straight once more.

“No special titles?”

“Bastard-born children can’t hold titles last I checked.”

Calemund frowned then, “What about where you are from, if I may inquire as of to where you hail from?”

“Nowhere important. Well at least not anymore,” Thalia turned away from Calemund.

“I apologize if I’ve offended you.”

Thalia turned to look at him and finally noticed his features. Like Lautrec and everyone else from Carim, Calemund had blue hair that boarded on black but unlike Lautrec whose eyes were almost black in color and seemed cold as ice, Calemund had mossy green eyes that were nearly warm and inviting. “You haven’t offended, at least not yet.” She explained as she tried to figure out just why she suddenly had a bad feeling about this man.

“Then I will be sure to be cautious in my words so as not to offend you.”

Thalia wanted to argue that point but decided against it. Unknown to her Lautrec just happened to be watching her while standing next to Solaire who was also watching her and this new Undead man at her side. “Who is that?” Solaire wondered out-loud as Lautrec frowned with a slight growl escaping her.

“His name is Calemund.”

“I take it that you don’t like him?”

“That’s putting it mildly. I _**KNOW **_Calemund,” Turning his gaze towards Solaire, Lautrec frowned once more. “If you value Thalia as a friend, warn her to stay away from Calemund. He makes me look like a saint.” With that Lautrec left Solaire standing and watching after him before the Sunlight Knight turned back to where Thalia was now walking away from Calemund, who had, apparently, stupidly said something to irk the woman.

_Why would Lautrec tell me to warn her about that man? _Solaire wondered before he headed off to find a bonfire.

***

After what felt like an eternity (and several falls and deaths later) Thalia finally made it to a room where a bonfire was burning and much to her surprise Solaire was sitting down near it. Seeing him look up at her, he prepared to greet her warmly and she held a finger for him to give her a minute, of which he happily did as he watched her remove a humanity from a pouch at her side and smiled from under his helm as she offered it up to the fire. He did not, however, miss the hiss she gave as her humanity was restored. Watching as she sat down, he gave her several moments to recover from what she had just done before he spoke causing her to look towards him as she lowered her hood. “You've been quiet these days. Smooth summoning out there?” he inquired as she gave a slight shrug. She was oddly quiet and while a part of him figured that it was likely due to her training as a huntress, he also found it near unsettling as well. “Anytime you see my brilliantly shining signature, do not hesitate to call upon me. You've left me with quite an impression. I would relish a chance to assist you.” He told her as she looked up at him from where she was removing her left glove.

Smiling as she returned to removing her glove she finally spoke, “And I will always welcome your aid.” Watching as she removed her left glove, Solaire noted that she looked to her right one but thought against removing it as she brushed her left hand through her hair before sighing as she began to care for her weapons as they spoke of nothing and yet everything. They spoke as if they had known each other for years instead of a few days and Solaire noted that as she spoke with him, she really did smile more then what she likely did normally.

“...She sounds like a good friend.”

“A pain in my ass is more like it, but Saewynn is a very good friend.” Thalia smiled softly as she shook her head while she restrung her bow.

“I believe I’ve seen her around but she’s never approached me.”

“She’s not very trusting of men in general. Her father wasn’t...” Thalia frowned then, “He just wasn’t a good person in general, thus as a consequence she finds it difficult to trust any man. However,” Thalia put her bow down in favor of looking her shortsword over before setting about finding her whetstone. “If she sees me around you, she will approach and speak with you albeit with some hesitation.”

Solaire watched as she stopped in what she was doing for the moment to scratch at an itch on her head before she returned to caring for her blade. “If you don’t mind me asking,” Solaire started as she looked towards him with brows raised in wonder. “I’ve noticed that you have not removed your glove upon your right hand, why?”

Looking to her right hand, Thalia bit at her lower lip before sighing. “I may have attempted to use a pyromancy spell and said spell may have… well I had a mishap with the spell and despite having rested a several bonfires since then, I have somehow managed to badly burn my hand and arm because of it. It is bandaged but I figured to keep it covered with my glove anyway, though I should probably change the bandages now that I think about it.”

Standing, Solaire walked over and knelt beside her with her watching him in wonder. “May I?” he asked as she hesitated for a moment before nodding and allowing him to take her arm carefully into his hands. She watched him carefully remove her glove, before he began to unwrap the bandages around her arm and hand; looking away to study the marble floor, Thalia tried to ignore the squeezing sensation she felt in her chest as he finished removing the old bandages. She felt the cool air touch the burns. “You put a little too much power behind your attack,” He chuckled softly before he reached into a pouch at his side and pulled out a jar which he opened before dipping his fingers into it and pulled out some of the ointment to dab onto the burns. She hissed in a breath as the pain of even the gentlest of his touches caused pain to bloom in her arm, but she remained still. “This should help the pain,” he told her before he took some bandages out of somewhere and began to re-wrap the burns. “Leave these on for a few days and the burns will heal.” He told her as she looked to him. Before she could ask him how he knew what to put on burns, he removed his bracer and managed to roll up his chain-mail sleeve revealing what looked to be long thin scars upon the upper part of his lower arm. “Lightning,” he spoke quickly as if sensing her impending question. “I did the same thing the first time I used the Lightning Spear.” He smiled though she couldn’t see it with his helm in the way. After she had replaced her glove and he had sat down again, they spoke a bit more before he chuckled as a thought overcame him. “You really are fond of chatting with me, aren't you? If I didn't know better, I'd think you had feelings for me!” When he noticed her pause in what she was doing, he swiftly recovered as he realized how awkward he had just made this, “Oh, no, dear me. Pretend you didn't hear that! Hah hah hah!” he laughed as she smiled. _If only he had known then that Thalia was developing the inkling of an attraction to him, he would have been able to save her later on…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Splitting this into two parts as it's a really long chapter in the word doc I'm writing this story in.


	8. Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> second part of the previous chapter
> 
> Song I found fitting for when Lautrec and Thalia are speaking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLn4p449z9Y (highly recommend listening to it)

After Thalia had finally left the room with the bonfire and Solaire behind, she could honestly say she felt better then she had in a good long while. There was just something about the happy-go-lucky man that made it near impossible for her to be in or stay in a bad mood. Thalia couldn’t help but smile as she thought of Solaire and let out a small laugh that no one else would ever hear. Leaning back against the wall for a moment (to both catch her breath thanks to the multitudes of enemies around and calm her nerves), Thalia shook her head as she thought over the teasing Solaire had done earlier and felt a slight blush creep up on her face. While the was a part of her that scolded her for even _**THINKING**_ that the teasing had meant something more, and yet there was still another, tinier, part of herself that was hoping against hope that he had meant it as more then just simple teasing. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Thalia found herself almost agreeing with the part of herself that doubted the teasing had been nothing more then friendly in nature. _Get a hold of yourself Thalia! _Thalia huffed, _I’m not some blushing maiden! _That part was almost an outright lie as she was, for intents and purposes, a maiden untouched by a man in the sexual sense. Both her Father and brother, despite how much of an ass he had been, had seen to it that she remained a virgin. Shaking her head clear of all thoughts, Thalia stood up and began to walk towards the next area and frowned as she felt something shaking within one of the pouches she had at her side. Taking out the item she looked at the strange black orb and her brows furrowed in slight confusion before she began heading towards the stairs to her right reaching the top of the first flight of stairs (after slaughtering some enemies of course), a need to use the orb overcame her and finding herself kneeling down, Thalia tightened her grip on the orb with her head bowed as if in prayer, and her grip caused it to crack as an energy wrapped around her. Finding herself in another world, Thalia looked around (after noticing that she was a blue colored Phantom) and saw a familiar golden armored person at the end of the long hallway, but, as it was, he was in the midst of a fight with another blue phantom and Thalia noted that the fight was a three on one. _Poor __blue phantom __bastard, __let’s give him a little help__._ Thalia thought as she unslung her bow, notched an arrow and pulled back the string while taking aim at her first target. Aiming at the one shooting some kind of sorcery magics at the other blue Phantom, Thalia aimed carefully before releasing the string, sending her arrow flying. As the arrow flew through the air, Thalia muttered the words of the sorcery she had learned sometime ago and found herself almost disappearing from sight as the arrow struck true causing the sorcery wielding white phantom to vanish when it pierced through his head, which in turn caused the three warriors who were battling it out to stop as they turned to watch the mage vanish as he was banished back to his own world. _Couldn’t do that again to save my life. _Thalia thought as she prepared yet another arrow and fired it off, momentarily breaking the spell she had wrapped around her. Letting herself be visible for a few short seconds, she noticed the other blue phantom pick up on her presence and nodded to him swiftly before muttering the sorcery once more and vanishing as the other blue phantom smirked upon seeing who was giving him the advantage. But Thalia could only smack her forehead with her hand as she watched the dumbass leave himself open to Lautrec backstabbing him (literally) as the other blue phantom killed the white one whom the arrow had found as a target. “_Dumbass…” _Thalia rolled her eyes while shaking her head but this gave her the opportunity she had been waiting for: Taking on Lautrec in a one on one fight. Knowing that she was not as physically strong as Lautrec due to the simple fact of him being a knight, she also knew that she had more then a few tricks up her sleeves.

“I know you’re there Thalia,” Lautrec called out as Thalia smiled.

“I did promise to come for you, so here I am,” She broke the spell surrounding her as the golden knight turned to her.

“So you are,” Lautrec watched her and noticed that despite the fact that he could easily kill her right then and there, Thalia was (surprisingly) in a relaxed stance and it made him wonder.

“Tell me something Lautrec,” Thalia looked to her bow as she returned it to its resting place upon her back, “Do you fear death? Not the hundreds of deaths that arise from our...situation...but true death. The Death we can never return from.”

Lautrec wondered why she was asking him about that. “Any man or woman with half a brain would fear it.” He responded as she turned back to him. “Why? Are you saying you suddenly fear death?” Lautrec sneered as Thalia chuckled.

“No, though like any sensible person I know it should be feared.” Thalia told him as she looked away before turning back to him. “But I don’t fear it because its permanent. I do, however, fear what happens after, not to myself and my soul, but to those who are my friends. To those I will leave behind when true death comes to claim me.” As she spoke she thought of those like her father, mother and brother who were already gone, she thought of her friend Saewynn who would bawl her eyes out, she even thought of Solaire who she honestly did consider a good friend at this time (and honestly for some reason unknown to her, it wouldn’t surprise her if he shed a few tears for her).

“Sounds a lot like what could become chaos, at least to me. The pit that chaos is,” Lautrec huffed while wondering why she was speaking with him instead of fighting.

Thalia shook her head, “Chaos isn’t a pit, my dear Lautrec. True chaos isn’t the Bed that awaits far below, though that is a form of physical Chaos, but nor is it a pit. Chaos is an infinite ladder that we stubbornly cling to in the hopes of one day finding the top of. We climb ever higher while watching as others climb beside, below, or even above us. We watch as many, if not all, fall. Some to their true death, while others are left broken by the fall.”

“Why are we discussing this instead of fighting? Isn’t that what you came here to do?”

“I came here for the Firekeeper’s soul, but I am in no way stupid. I know how you fight Lautrec. I’ve seen you fight before. I just watched you back stab that other phantom. I know that I am not physically strong enough to really be a challenge to you.” Thalia told him as he silently agreed with that. “But if it is a fight you wish, a fight you shall have. But I warn you, You are not the only one with tricks up your sleeve.” She informed him as he growled. Deciding that he was finished with talking, Lautrec lunged for Thalia only for his weapon to be deflected by her shortsword. Yanking the weapon away from her grasp, Lautrec watched as she released it before rolling away. For several hours, they play a very deadly game of cat and mouse, but never once did Thalia remove her bow from her back. Instead she opted to use her dagger or her shortsword when she finally managed to stagger Lautrec enough to allow herself time to snatch it back up and barely managed to block his incoming Shotel. Seeing a flash of steel coming from her right, Thalia just barely managed to push Lautrec away at the same time she leapt away as the sharp tip of the blade caught her cheek. Since her world and his had converged while they had spoken, the blue haze that had covered her had vanished leaving her as her normal self, hence the reason why when she touched her cheek she saw blood. Watching as Lautrec rushed towards her with a snarl escaping him as if he were some beast and not an undead man, she knew that the only trick she had left to use was the same one that had left the burns upon her arm. Closing her eyes, she silently begged forgiveness (from Lautrec’s goddess no less as he was said goddess’s servant) for what she was about to do before unleashing a blast of fire in the form of a huge ball tainted with the power of Chaos. When the fireball collided with Lautrec, Thalia watched as the Knight went flying backwards and ended up rolling as a line of lava as well as a pool of it gathered where the fireball had traveled and had collided with the man. Unknown to both Lautrec and Thalia, Solaire was standing at the top of some nearby stairs and was watching this whole thing unfold. The only reason why he was able to witness this whole battle unfold? His world had converged with Lautrec’s only moments before, thus Solaire had seen Thalia invade as a spirit of vengeance and was shocked into silence as he watched Thalia hurl the fireball at Lautrec before the man had even had a chance to properly react. “I didn’t _**WANT**_ to fight you, Lautrec!” Thalia called out towards the golden Knight who (while being in great pain from the collisions of both the fireball and hitting the floor multiple times as he had gone rolling) was managing to stand, “We didn’t _**NEED**_ to fight.”

Lautrec laughed as he managed to stand straight. “What make you think that?” He inquired as she stood watching him, but he noticed that she held her lower right arm closer to her elbow. Glancing down towards her hand, he mentally recoiled as he saw just how badly burned her skin was now because of the fireball. She had likely lost all feeling in her hand and now a part of him felt horrible for reasons he could not name. He had thought the collision with the Chaos tainted fireball had hurt like no other, but he could not, for the life of him, imagine the amount of pain she in was because of her using it. Her glove and lower sleeve of her right arm of her armor were just gone and her skin was burned almost black because of the heat of the fireball. After he had fully recovered, Lautrec approached her, his remaining Shotel in his left hand and soon had the inside of the blade pressed against her throat. Yet she stood there, glaring defiantly at him, showing him that despite the clear advantage he had now, she was not afraid of him or his blade. Reaching up, Lautrec pulled his helm off (still unaware of Solaire watching with hand on his own blade as he prepared to rush between the two) and studied Thalia, searching for something. “How are you not afraid?”

“I have nothing left remember? I told you that before.”

“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be afraid,” Lautrec couldn’t wrap his mind around this woman, but the pain he felt in his chest, shoulders and back reminded him that she _**WAS**_ powerful in her own rights.

“Maybe,” She told him as he shook his head and pulled away from her, taking his weapon from around her throat as well.

“I don’t understand you at all, Thalia,” Lautrec frowned before handing something over to her. “Take the soul. Restore your precious Firekeeper.” He huffed as he turned away to sheath his weapon and replace his helm. “And take care of that arm! Else you will lose feeling within it,” he called back as he began to walk away.

“_Too late for that...”_ Thalia mumbled low, but Lautrec heard those words and felt sorry for her.


	9. Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some fluffy feels between Solaire and Thalia.

Thalia’s arm stung _like a bitch_. “This is what I get for overpowering a Chaos fireball...” She hissed as she looked her hand and arm over. “One would think that after the first time I did that I wouldn’t do it again but apparently my dumb ass is just a glutton for punishment.” She shook her head as she looked for fresh bandages within her pack. Cursing her own idiocy, Thalia huffed as she noted that she was fresh out of bandages. Sighing she prepared to go look for a blacksmith to (finally) repair her gear, she all but leapt out of her skin when her name was called.

“Thalia?” Turning to see who had called her name, Thalia was surprised to see Solaire walking up to her and was now _FULLY_ cursing her idiocy.

“Solaire?” She inquired as he finished walking up to her.

“So that was the pyromancy that gave you the burns?” He asked referring to her use of the Chaos tainted fireball she had used. Watching as she looked away ashamedly, he knew that he had his answer and shook his head before gently (and very, very, carefully) lifting up her, yet again, burned arm. That motion, despite how careful he was being, lead her to hiss and he frowned as he saw how badly burned her arm was this time. Like last time, Solaire pulled out the jar he carried with him for burns, carefully rubbed some on her tender skin (earning a muted grunt from her as she resisted yanking away from him) before carefully wrapping more bandages on her arm, hand and fingers.

“You don’t have to do this for me,” Thalia told the Knight who only smiled at her under his helm.

“I know,” Solaire told her as he finished wrapping the bandages around her arm and hand. “But this is what friends do for each other, even if they don’t have to do something for the other person, they just do.” Thalia looked away as Solaire looked up at her. For the life of her Thalia couldn’t figure out _**WHY**_ he was being so kind. Pyromancy was something everyone laughed at or shunned, _**CHAOS**_ pyromancy alone wasn’t received well at all (and according to the Egg-burdened man she knew as Einjyi, who served the Fair Lady as well, it was cause for banishment), yet Solaire just seemed to not care and it made her wonder. “Does that bother you? That I see you as a friend?”

Thalia looked back towards Solaire and shook her head, “Not at all. I see you as a friend as well,” She smiled as he returned it. She wasn’t exactly sure why but seeing his hidden smile reach his blue eyes sent a tiny thrill through her.

“Well I am pleased to hear that!” He told her with a chuckle as she continued to smile, “Before we get too distracted by speaking about our friendship, let’s get you over to the blacksmith so he can look over your armor and weapons. You will likely need repairs done and he’s located conveniently close by.” Solaire swiftly spoke up as Thalia nodded, silently agreed to his words. “Ornstein and Smough are beyond this door,” Solaire nodded towards the fog door and Thalia _almost_ groaned. “Do not fret, I will be there to aid you.” Solaire promised as Thalia looked to him. He could see the worry in her eyes and came to realize just how expressive her eyes were. “If our worlds separate, I will place down my sign and you can call to me.”

Thalia smiled softly then, “I’m not worried about that, somehow I know you’ll find a way to be there for me. I’m more worried about...” Thalia looked to her badly burned hand and arm as her smile dropped, _“...I’m worried I’ll be next to useless __during the fight because of...__,”_her voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke those words while her gaze turned away from her hand and towards the floor.

Solaire, for some reason unknown to him, did not like seeing that crestfallen look appear upon her face and found himself automatically reaching out to lift her chin up gently with his hand. Watching as her captivating eyes met his own, he felt the sudden urge to remove his helm and kiss her on the lips nearly overcome him but managed to fight off the urge (at least for the time being). “You won’t be useless. You will never be useless.” He told her softly as she studied his eyes. He knew she was searching to see if he was just saying that or if he actually meant it.

“But my...”

“You won’t be useless,” He remained steadfast in his words and, for just a moment, Thalia struggled to find a way to argue with him. Watching her sigh, he knew she could find no reason to argue with him on the matter. “Your arm needs to heal, yes, but Ornstein is also an honorable warrior, therefore he will not see it as fair to use dirty tricks when facing you. Smough...” Solaire raised his gaze to look over her head as he thought about the one everyone knew to be an executioner. “I cannot say the same for Smough.” Solaire frowned, just saying the name of the executioner brought a nasty taste to his mouth. Thalia prepared herself to ask why Solaire seemed to dislike that name but thought better of it as he soon recovered and smiled at her. “But we can figure that out later! Right now let’s get you to the blacksmith so you can have your gear and weapons repaired.” He offered his hand to her and Thalia placed her non-injured one in his, allowing him to help her up the stairs.

The Chaos tainted fireball she had flung earlier during her fight with Lautrec had truly worn her out and she could just barely, _just barely_, manage to keep on her own two feet let alone walk, but the whole walk to the nearby blacksmith, Solaire was at her side even upon entering the blacksmith’s area. After handing over her weapons her leather armor chest piece (revealing that she wore a shirt under it), Thalia was instructed to sit and rest while the blacksmith (who was in all actuality a giant) worked on repairing her armor and weapons (as well as secretly upgrading them at Solaire’s insistence). Resting her head against the cool stone of the wall behind her, Thalia felt herself slipping in and out from the conscious world and as she finally dropped out of the conscious world, she swore she heard the voice of a familiar old woman singing to her in a soft, yet very loving tone. _Grandmother… _Thalia’s last waking thought was of that kind elderly lady (on her mother’s side) who had hailed from Carim. An elderly woman who had come to Thalia’s bedside when Thalia had been near deathly ill one particularly bad winter and had remained all through out Thalia’s illness to care for her. While Thalia wasn’t sure where her mother hailed from, she knew for a fact her grandmother had come from Carim. Of course, when her grandmother on her mother’s side had finally passed, Thalia had been devastated beyond words and it was the start of when Thalia had begun to bottle up her emotions. But right now, as she entered the world of dreams to dream of her grandmother, Thalia was not aware of the fact that Solaire was looking at her with his own soft smile. Nor was she aware that he had sat down next to her and had pulled her close so she could sleep against his shoulder and he would be lying if he didn’t say that there was some little part of him enjoying seeing her like this as she looked so much younger when she slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is Ornstein and Smough as those two are being stubborn (so this chapter is a shorter chapter). Would have put them in this chapter but they are stubborn asses... *glares at the dragonslayer and the executioner*


	10. Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to update. Real Life got in the way as did playing a few games (Destiny 2 and Elder Scrolls Online. and for those of you wondering I DO have a steam account hence why I say Destiny 2 [its the same name as here as it's just easier for me to remember the name] still no Dark Souls games though they are on my wishlist).

When Thalia awoke, she felt much better then she had in a long while, of course that wasn’t counting the pain in her neck from how she had been sleeping. As she slowly awoke, she came to realize that her head was resting on something or rather someone, and as she opened her eyes, Thalia slowly lifted her head to see that she had been sleeping on Solaire’s shoulder. Looking the now sleeping Knight over, Thalia felt her heart squeeze slightly as a gentle smile came upon her face. Carefully removing herself from his (very likely) unintended one armed embrace she discovered around her, she managed to not wake Solaire and, after stretching out her limbs and back, Thalia turned to the blacksmith who waved to her newly repaired (and upgraded) armor and weapons. Taking the items from where they rested, she swiftly went to a side room, dressed and placed her weapons where they belonged, before walking back out into the blacksmiths main area to see that Solaire was still cleanly passed out. Smiling once more, Thalia walked over to him and noticed, for the first time that she could recall since having met him, that he did not have his helm on. Studying him now, she noticed that his blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and in her mind it only added to the handsome man he was. Walking over to him, she removed the pendant she wore from around her neck, placed it one of his hands, before laying the softest of kisses upon his brow. _“Thank you Solaire,”_ She whispered before pulling away to head out of that area just as a chill ran through her while something in her mind screamed the word “_**invader**_” as another part of her yearned to hunt down the phantom and teach them a lesson about invading her world. Looking back towards Solaire, Thalia smiled softly towards the sleeping man before leaving that area to go hunt down whomever it was that had thought to dare trespass in her world. 

Several hours later, Thalia watched as the most recent red Phantom (apparently today was the day everyone had decided to use to seek out others to invade and kill) collapsed after having met their end by her shortsword. Smirking as she wiped away some blood from the corner of her mouth (One of the Phantoms had decided to be a cheeky bastard and had punched Thalia), Thalia noticed that the bloodlust that had been lurking deep within her seemed satisfied for the moment, and shrugged to herself as she licked her lips. Pulling her Estus flask from her side, she quickly took a drink, allowing its healing properties to take care of her recent wounds while she returned the flask to her side. Scratching at the back of her neck, Thalia sighed as she began to head back towards the blacksmith where she would replenish her supply of arrows (as well as purchase some more). Upon her re-entrance to the Giant Blacksmith’s area, Thalia noticed that Solaire was gone (as she had figured he would be upon seeing that she was not there anymore) but ignored it in favor of purchasing her supplies of arrows. Once she was done with that, Thalia headed towards the area that the two she would have to fight were and stopped upon spotting Solaire’s signature upon the ground. Smiling, Thalia reached out and touched his sign before stepping back to watch as he rose in the form of a gold colored Phantom.

Greeting her in his usual way, he noticed that she was smiling (as she seemed to always be doing when he was around, unless she was injured of course) and he returned the smile before remembering that she couldn’t see it because of his helm, “I see you’ve been busy,” he spoke as he reached out to touch near the cut on her cheek that had yet to heal. Despite the innocent intention behind the touch, the gentle touch felt oddly intimate for both Solaire and Thalia. But Thalia ignored that feeling for the moment and sighed.

“It’s become apparent to me that everyone is of the same mind and decided that today would be a good day to invade, which, of course, didn’t work out the way they had been hoping.” Thalia told him as he chuckled softly. Thalia watched as he removed his hand from her cheek and for reasons beyond her, some little part of her felt saddened at the fact that he pulled away, but she managed to keep that emotion well hidden. Turning towards the fog door, Thalia and Solaire discussed strategy about how best to handle Ornstein and Smough and stopped near the door.

“I will handle Smough,” Solaire told her as she nodded, “Which means you will be fighting against Ornstein.” Part of Thalia wondered how that would work out, and he seemed to sense her thoughts at that moment as she spoke.

“Not sure how well that will work out considering that I mainly use bow.”

“What about your sword?” Solaire inquired as she frowned.

“I keep it on me as a just in case means. Yes, I’ve used it before but I’m not very...well...I know very little about sword techniques,” Upon her saying that Solaire knew that that little fact _**NEEDED**_ to be rectified next time he saw her (not when he was a Phantom but in actual person), as it was surprising to him that she had managed to survive _**THIS**_ long without fully hollowing with how many of the beings around here were full on in-your-face combatants and he would be lying if he said that he didn’t want her to survive a little longer because, in truth, there was some part of him that wanted to keep her alive for as long as possible, to give her a reason to keep going until the very end of their shared journey to the place where the First Flame resided. But something told him that it would likely be the first and last journey that this Huntress, this strangely wonderful woman, would ever go on and that thought alone upset him.

To where he was an older man (He wondered just how old Thalia was now) with twice the experience with combat and the rest of the outside world then what she had, Thalia’s journey into the wider world had only just begun and something about that fact both saddened and nearly frightened him. She was supposed to still have time. Time to live her life, to learn more about herself as a young adult, to find someone she wanted to spend the rest of her days with, to see all the places she had never been too. Yet she was here, in Lordran, where her life would be cut short because of the prophecy that brought _**ALL**_ undead to this place. When he realized that she was watching him with worry he suddenly found himself unable to not ask the question that came from his lips when his mouth moved faster then his mind did. “How old are you?”

Thalia didn’t look taken aback by that suddenly odd question, in fact, she only smiled. “I’m twenty-five. Why?”

He was surprised at that, “You...” He wasn’t sure what to say now, she honestly looked so much younger then in her twenties, “You look...”

“Younger?” Solaire could only nod and Thalia softly chuckled. “You’re not the first to think that. Even my family, especially my brothers, and a lot of others often mistake me for being younger then I am.”

“Brothers? I thought Eluric was your only brother?”

“I am the youngest of four siblings. Eluric was one of my brothers and the elder two brothers I have, or rather had, disappeared around the time I was roughly nine or ten years of age or well, the Eldest of my brothers did. The second eldest I don’t know what happened to him I just know he disappeared without a trace. Eluric was really the only brother I had left because of my two elder brothers’ sudden disappearances and is the only one I remember well.” Thalia then shrugged, “As much as I would like to know what happened to my eldest two brothers, I doubt I will ever find out.” She told him as he let this new information about her roll around in his mind. “But if you were wondering why I haven’t had proper sword training it was because my father didn’t ever want me to use a sword. If I can bring my enemies down with a good shot from my bow then I would have no need for a sword.”

Solaire could see the logic behind that, but it was also worrying but he decided against asking anything more and turned back to the fog door before them. “Well, in recent light of this new knowledge, We should look for another person to summon.” He told her as she nodded before beginning to look around with Solaire’s help. Even though he couldn’t summon another phantom as a phantom himself, he could still find signatures for her and call out to her if there was one that peeked his interest. “Thalia!” He called out as she turned towards him from where she stood now. He pointed to a white signature at his feet, and she came over to read the name.

“Calemund?” She asked before remembering who Calemund was. She glanced towards Solaire who only gave a slight nod, but even after she touched the sign and they watched the man rise as a white phantom, something about Calemund gave Solaire a bad feeling. After Calemund was informed of the plan, he whole-heartedly agreed with it (he had just finished struggling against the two in the next room) before his head (as well as Solaire’s) snapped over in Thalia’s direction as she suddenly hissed in a breath.

“Are you alright?” Calemund inquired as Thalia tried to wave him off as Solaire frowned.

“I’ll be fine,” She tried but it was apparent to her that Calemund wasn’t having any of it.

“NO one hisses in a breath like that unless they’ve been injured and are attempting to try and hide it. What’s wrong?”

“She used a fireball tainted with Chaos properties against Lautrec.” That earned Solaire a black look from Thalia.

Calemund suddenly smacked his hand against his forehead. “So you used a pyromancy, a _**CHAOS**_ pyromancy at that, _**WITHOUT**_ a pyromancy glove?!”

Thalia only looked away then, “I didn’t even know those existed...”

Calemund sighed, “Let me see how bad it is,” he stretched out his hand as Thalia carefully removed her glove before placing her wrist on his hand. Looking her hand over, he could tell that even if it was healed, the hand (and arm after he had had her roll back her sleeve) and arm would be scarred for the rest of her life. “I can heal the majority of the damage, but the scars will remain for the rest of your life.” And with that he very carefully held his other hand above hers and focused on healing what damage he could. “There. It shouldn’t bother you again, but if I were you? I would avoid using any pyromancy spell until you can get one of the gloves that pyromancers use.”

“Where did you learn that spell?” Thalia asked as she replaced the glove.

“I’m a member of the Princess’s Guard covenant. Just like Solaire here is a Warrior of Sunlight and you are a Chaos Servant.” Thalia’s head couldn’t have jerked up faster then in that moment and it caused both Solaire and Calemund to wonder if she was alright.

“How the-”

“-Fuck did I know?” Calemund smirked as Thalia nodded, “Only the members of the Chaos Servant covenant bother to use the Chaos pyromancies. There’s also the tell-tale sign in the fact that you have a very faint red ring in your irises.”

That surprised Thalia then (it even surprised Solaire and he was often looking into her eyes yet he had _**NEVER**_ noticed it). “I do?”

“Did you really not know?” Calemund inquired as Thalia shook her head which caused him to look towards Solaire then, “What about you? Didn’t you ever notice it?” Solaire sheepishly shook his head then and Calemund was truly shocked now. “You’ve been adventuring with her off and on and have been meeting her how many times now when your world’s cross and you’ve _**NEVER**_ noticed it?” Solaire looked away then and Calemund knew he had his answer. Groaning, Calemund found himself smacking his hand against his head once more before sighing. “Thalia? How long ago was the first time you used the Chaos Fireball?”

“Sen’s fortress,” She explained as Calemund just stared at her before he shook his head.

“Why do I even… Let’s just go take of those two beyond the fog.” He said as he began to walk towards the fog door to await the other two.

Thalia turned towards Solaire then but swiftly looked away, “We probably should as there is no sense in just standing around.” She said before walking towards the fog door with Solaire following. She had been trying to avoid saying anything about her covenant to the Fair Lady while around Solaire but thanks to Calemund, _**THAT**_ plan went plummeting out the window (there was no flying it went straight up smashing through and dropping like a ton of bricks once it was through the window) and now there was a part of her that wondered what Solaire thought of her. She hadn’t kept the knowledge that she was a Chaos servant from him out of spite, it would never be that. She had kept it from him because she was trying to protect the Fair Lady. _I’m such an idiot… He probably…_ Thalia wasn’t given time to finish that sentence in her thoughts as Solaire spoke up then.

“What’s wrong with the one known as the Fair Lady?”

Thalia pursed her lips for a moment, “She’s gravely ill and so far only humanity sprites can ease her pain.”

“Is that why you joined the Chaos Servant Covenant?”

“I...” Thalia sighed, “Yes.”

Solaire placed a hand on her shoulder and caused her to stop in her tracks as she turned her gaze towards him, “You have a kind heart Thalia, even I can see that. It’s not my place to judge you based on what Covenant you join.” Solaire smiled softly even though she couldn’t see it. “When do you plan on going to see her again?”

“After I finish everything here in Anor Londo and place the Lordvessel where it needs to go. I promised her I would return to her then and I intend to keep that promise.”

“Then do what you need to. I won’t think any less of you for doing what you believe is right, my dear friend.” He told her as he removed his hand and walked past her leaving her to watch after him for a little bit before she regained herself and joined the two at the door.

Looking at the door, a tiny part of Thalia wanted to flinch but she held herself back from physically doing so. _This is going to hurt…_ Sadly she didn’t realize just how much pain she was going to be in after this coming fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apoligize as I know I said O&S where going to be in this chapter but it started running a little long but I SWEAR that they will be in the next one as it a "Part 2" to this one and its going to be a pain train for Thalia
> 
> And YES earlier in the chapter you did read right, Thalia has (had) THREE older brothers not just one. One of her Elder brothers is actually _IN_ the story (Hint: Lautrec knows him and Thalia has seen him twice now). The other eldest brother of all four siblings is not yet in the story but could potentially be.


	11. Ten

Thalia entered the next room through the fog with Solaire and Calemund close behind and swore the temperature plummeted as she raised her head up and the first person she saw was the one who was very likely to be the executioner. Just the sight of the way he stood and the armor he wore (as well as the massively huge warhammer that he had resting beside him) was the dead give away to who he was. But then a bright flash of well polished armor shown in the sun light and Thalia (along with Solaire and Calemund) watched as someone landed near the executioner and Thalia could venture to guess who that one was. “Shit… my arrows will be useless.” Thalia managed to say as Calemund frowned.

“Solaire?” Calemund inquired then.

Solaire pulled his sword from its sheath, “Thalia, just stay back. Calemund, you and I need to give her openings for her arrows into their armor.”

“Who are we bringing down first?” Thalia asked as Solaire studied the two before them.

Solaire hadn’t counted on that question popping up but it was Calemund who spoke up now, “Solaire, do you think you can take down Smough while I distract the Dragon Slayer?”

“I can,” Solaire nodded.

“Bring down Smough first while I work on distracting Ornstein,” With that the fight began as Solaire and Calemund rushed towards the two who where coming their way while Thalia notched an arrow to her bow to wait for someone to give her an opening for her arrows. Surprisingly (at least to her) the first person who gave her such an opening was Solaire as he managed to turn the executioner away from her as Calemund lured the Dragon Slayer to the other side of the room. Drawing the string of her bow, Thalia waited until Solaire nodded just enough for her to catch it and released the arrow which (in some way that caused Thalia to let out the breath she was holding) staggered the executioner giving Solaire some time to land several powerful blows. _**“THALIA LOOK OUT!”**_ The call from Calemund just barely reached her in time and she leapt back just as the spear that the Dragon Slayer wielded missed her by mere inches. As she slid across the floor (still on her feet by some miracle) away from the Dragon Slayer, Thalia was given a change to glimpse his eyes as his head followed her and the look she saw within those oddly golden orbs that watched her from beneath the helm, sent more than several shivers down her spine as that little part of her that usually enjoyed her hunts _**SCREAMED**_ at her (it was more of a roar now) to get away from him as swiftly as possible and use her pyromancy ability, but she only did (or attempted to do) part of that as the Dragon Slayer remained hellbent on going after her despite Calemund trying his damnedest to get Ornstein’s attention once more only to fail miserably as Smough turned to him from Solaire and smashed him into the ground, banishing Calemund back to wherever the man was supposed to properly be at.

Knowing that it was just down to her and Solaire, Thalia decided to keep Ornstein distracted while Solaire finished off the executioner, or at least that was her plan while she also tried to figure out just _WHY_ the Dragon Slayer was so bent on trying to kill her. _Was it because he saw Solaire as no threat while she was or was there something more to why the Dragon Slayer was trying to end her?_ Just as Thalia’s back hit a wall (literally and rather hard too), Ornstein’s spear cut deeply into her side (nearer to her hip) causing her to cry out in pain at the same time the sound of armor smashing into the ground sounded, which in turn allowed her to, weakly, roll away from the Dragon Slayer as he turned to see what the cause of the noise was. Thalia, once she was far enough away from Ornstein, felt someone pulling her up from the ground and saw Solaire helping her to stand while the Dragon Slayer went over to his fallen comrade. While Ornstein was distracted with doing whatever he was, Solaire wordlessly allowed Thalia to lean heavily on him as he encouraged her to drink from the flask at her side. After drinking from her flask, and managing to keep quiet as the wound in her side healed with agonizing pain ripping through her as it did.Even thought Thalia kept silent, Solaire could see how much pain she was in through the expression that was upon her face and it worried him greatly. It also told him that he needed to work really hard to keep the Dragon Slayer away from her as the wound would not be fully healed until she reached a bonfire as there was only so much healing the Estus Flasks could do. Hearing a noise as Thalia managed to stand by herself, both she and Solaire turned to see Ornstein suddenly grow taller then he already was as he absorbed the power that the executioner had once held and Thalia groaned. She just wanted this to be over with, but it was apparent to her that it would take a while longer before it would be and every fiber of her being was screaming at her to use her Chaos Fireball ability (along with a few other abilities), yet still, even as Ornstein rushed towards her and Solaire, she fought off the need to do so for two _**MAJOR**_ reasons: Pyromancy abilities, especially ones tainted with Chaos, were almost nearly impossible to control once unleashed and there was no way to guarantee that she wouldn’t accidentally hit Solaire even if he _**WAS**_ a phantom. But as she and Solaire both leapt out of the way of the incoming attack, her overwhelming need to use the pyromancy spells she knew refused to be ignored and continued to demand that they be used. Racing to put distance between her and the Dragon Slayer and Solaire. Thalia found herself on the other side of the room opposite of the two and watched as Solaire and Ornstein went to town on the other. Thalia watched as the two threw lightning and went fully on melee against one another, but when she went to reach for her bow to fill Ornstein with arrows like he were a pincushion, she came to the shocking realization that her bow was on the side of the room where Solaire and Ornstein were. Cursing her luck, she knew she would have no choice but to either use the pyromancies she knew or attempt to melee against the now extremely powerful Dragon Slayer. Frowning as she debated on what to do, she called out to Solaire just as the Dragon Slayer impaled him and watched as he was unceremoniously dropped to the ground. _**“**__**SOLAIRE!”**_ She watched him hit the ground and lay still for several moments as the Dragon Slayer turned her direction. Watching Solaire for several moments she could see that he remained but he was nearly too weak to rise from where he lay and as the Dragon Slayer began making his way slowly towards her. As her gaze turned from Solaire towards Ornstein, something deep (too deep for her to know where from exactly) suddenly snapped and thus, as she closed her eyes, she stopped thinking straight and just went for pure instinct.

Solaire, for his part, managed to roll onto his side and turned his gaze towards Thalia at the same exact moment her eyes snapped opened to reveal bright red irises instead of her blue ones. Even from where he lay now he could see the sudden change that over came her and as badly as he wanted to call out to her, he just couldn’t find his voice as he watched what transpired next. He watched her right hand flare to life with a strange reddish aura as she raised it to slam her hand against her chest over her heart and the red glowing aura all but swallowed her whole as she pulled her hand away and called forth some kind of powerful pyromancy to her fingers before suddenly raising her hand up to slam it, fingers splayed out as her hand hit the cold marble floor just as Ornstein rushed towards her as he charged up a lightning attack. The moment Ornstein reached her and was about to hit her with his spear, he was flung back with a cry of pain as he was hit by the shear force of the sudden fiery pillars that roared into life. Solaire turned back to Thalia then and noticed that she staggered a bit and it suddenly smashed into him like a ton of bricks. _THE RED AURA! It’s hurting her!_

As that realization hit Solaire, Thalia decided that enough was enough and, with an almost inhuman snarl to her face and an icy and withering look towards Ornstein who was standing from where he had landed, soon summoned one last pyromancy ability to her fingers: the Great Chaos Fireball. She watched Ornstein turn towards her and after preparing herself, she gathered as much power as she could within the fireball and with what was left of her strength, she flung the fireball with as much force as possible and watched as the trail of lava it left behind scorched the floor before watching the fireball collide with Ornstein leaving behind an explosion that nearly shook the room around them as a pool of lava was left behind where Ornstein once stood (Just the force of the fireball colliding with him had, like it had with Lautrec, sent him flying backwards into the wall). Breathing heavily, Thalia watched as the Dragon Slayer slowly stood from where he had collided with the wall. She heard him laugh and frowned before he spoke. “Truly you are powerful, Chosen Undead. You have earned my respect.” He stood and watched her as she blinked at him in confusion. “You are worthy of the path you walk to take my Lord Gwyn’s place. Rest before you go to meet the Princess.” He pointed towards a fog door that was not the original one she and Solaire had entered through as the fog vanished. “Up top you will find a bonfire where your wounds may heal.”

After he told her that Ornstein turned and left the room as Solaire found the strength to stand and made his way, slowly, towards Thalia who was now shaking from the effort to just stand. The red aura had vanished from around her, but she was very weak because of it and it worried him, “Thalia?”

“Go, I’ll be...” Thalia forced herself to remain standing despite how badly she wanted to damn near drop dead right there. “...I’ll be fine.”

Solaire didn’t believe her for a second but only watched her as she continued to shake, “When you are finished here come meet me near where the Hellkite Dragon is, there is an old alter near the bridge where the dragon is. I wish to speak with you in length.” Thalia looked to him and his heart squeezed as he noticed that her eyes were fading from that bright red back to their usual blue. He didn’t miss the worried look that she gave before attempting to cover it up and he smiled, “It’s nothing bad I promise, I just wish to speak with you on something that troubles me.”

“Alright, I will meet you there as soon as I am able.” Solaire smiled to her response before bowing to her and fading away leaving her to walk to the bonfire at a slow pace which was, thankfully, unhindered by any enemies as none were around. Making it to the bonfire that Ornstein had spoken of, Thalia sat down to rest and closed her eyes as she tried to sort out the feelings that had decided to become a tangled mess whenever she was around Solaire. It had been completely out of character for her to suddenly abandon rational thinking like she had upon seeing the man being impaled but yet it had happened and as she sorted through the mess that was her emotions, one emotion in particular decided to bitch-slap her across the face and she cursed as her head dropped. _**“F**__**UCK ME!**__**”**_ She was falling head-over-heels in love with Solaire and try as she might, she could not deny it. “This is going to be a fucking wreck...” She groaned to herself, yet there was a part of her that felt freed by her realizing of her feelings for Solaire. _But I will NOT admit it out-loud. He might not even see me in the same way. _“Gods save me now...”


	12. Eleven

Solaire stood look towards the sun, as was the normal thing for him to do. Yet his mind wasn’t on the sun, no, his mind was on the thoughts of Thalia. Discovering that she was a member of the Chaos Servant Covenant was a major shock to him, but having also learned that she had joined because of the one that many called the “Fair Lady” was ill also made him smile a little as it showed Solaire that Thalia had a truly kind and gentle heart despite the fact that she would probably like to say otherwise but the one thing that truly surprised him the most was how swiftly his mind would turn to her when in comparison to all the other adventurers he had helped out along his way in life. There was just something about Thalia that caused her to stand out, something so uniquely _HER_ that it caused him to think more about her then what was normal. Maybe it was some unspoken bond, a bond that was so long forgotten by them but always remembered by their souls, that drew him to her as a moth was drawn to an open flame. Or maybe it was a bond not yet established that longed to come into existence. He couldn’t be certain which one it was but one thing he was certain of was that there was something that drew him to her. Being so lost in his thoughts, Solaire almost missed the soft sound of Thalia’s footsteps approaching him, but managed to turn his head just in time to see her approaching him. Deciding to speak first, he greeted her warmly as she made her approach, “Oh, hello there. I'm glad to see you alive...” He honestly was glad to see that she was still going strong, especially after the fight with the Dragon Slayer and Executioner. “You have done well, indeed you have. You've a strong arm, strong faith, and most importantly, a strong heart. I am in awe, really.”

“Why is that?” Thalia asked as she finished her approach and lowered her hood with her left hand. He could see that her right hand rested at her side and noticed (though he gave no sign of having noticed) that it was once more covered up. But when he explained his reasoning she only chuckled. “I wouldn’t have managed to make it this far without your aid, Solaire.” She admitted as he felt a strange fluttering in his chest at her words.

“I’m sure you would have,” He tried telling her though he was now secretly glad that his helm hid the slight blush that rose upon his cheeks. Thalia shook her head but did not see any point in arguing with him, as they spoke of other things, Solaire stopped and turned to her fully now, “I know you are already apart of a covenant, but should you ever wish it there will always be a place for you among those of us who are warriors of the sun.” He watched the surprise cross her face before she smiled.

They spoke a little bit more on other things which included his thoughts of possibly giving her a bit of training on how to better use the sword at her side, of which she agreed to as she didn’t enjoy feeling worthless with such a weapon. After they decided upon that the two stood in silence for a while before he found himself musing his thoughts out-loud, “...I did not find my own sun, not in Anor Londo, nor in Twilight Blighttown. Where else might my sun be? Lost Izalith, or the Tomb of the Gravelord...? But I cannot give up. I became Undead to pursue this! But when I peer at the Sun up above, it occurs to me... What if I am seen as a laughing stock, as a blind fool without reason?” he was beginning to worry that maybe his quest to find his own sun was possibly a fool’s errand yet he just couldn’t stop now. “Well, I suppose they wouldn't be far off! Hah hah hah!” he tried to laugh it off but it was then that Thalia looked at him.

“You’re not a fool, Solaire,” She told him as he turned his gaze back to her. “Don’t ever think that.” He watched as she turned her gaze away then towards the horizon, before looking over at where the moon would soon be rising. “I, for one, think it’s brave of you to try and find your own sun. The Gods know I wouldn’t be able to.” Turning his gaze towards where the moon was now rising (it was still surprising to him how the sun still rose and set in the area outside of Anor Londo) and looked back at her as she spoke once more, likely more to herself then to him. “My grandmother used to tell me a story about the day and the night and how the two love each other but can never have one another for they are too different.”

“Oh?” Solaire was interested in hearing this now.

“Indeed,” Thalia nodded as her gaze watched the bright silvery-colored full moon rise.

As she explained the story to the best of her ability, Solaire noted that in the softer light of the moon, Thalia looked more like she belonged in the star and moonlit night and this observation made his heart squeeze as a thought came to him as softly as Thalia walked.While his quest to find his own sun was admirable in itself, the soft thought that now quietly invaded his thoughts told him that maybe he should also be looking for the moon as well, f_or what good was the sun if there was no moon to balance it out?_

“Solaire?” upon her saying his name, he shook himself out of his thoughts and felt a blush rise onto his face as he realized that he hadn’t been paying attention at all to what she had been saying.

“I...I’m sorry… I...” he started as she chuckled softly.

“It’s alright,” Thalia told him as she reached out and gave his hand a quick squeeze (which sent his heart racing and his head swimming, which in turn made him wonder just _HOW_ he was still standing). “I should probably get going anyway, I still have much to do and should probably get on it as swiftly as possible.” She told him as he nodded his understanding. “I’ll see you around, Solaire.” She told him as he told her goodbye as well. Yet there was a part of him that didn’t _**WANT**_ her to go, there was this part of him that wanted to ask her to stay for just a little bit longer, yet as he watched her leave, he saw her place a hand on the doorway and watched as she turned to look back at him with a soft smile showing up on her lips as she noticed him watching after her and it was that soft smile she gave that caused that part of him that was pestering him to all but figuratively slap him stupid. Eventually she left and still he watched after her as a tiny voice whispered to him in his mind and called him an idiot for just letting her walk away.

***

Thalia’s heart was racing at a million miles per second. Her reaching out and taking Solaire’s hand into her own to give it a gentle squeeze had truly been a spur of the moment thing as she had never intended to _**EVER**_ do that, yet she had and now she was left wondering just how bat-shit insane she truly had to be, yet the gentle motion she had done felt as intimate as if they had kissed and thus as she sat at a table in that inn that he had found her on the roof of what felt like so many days ago, she swore that her heart was against her and her more logical mind. Her heart yearned for something that could never become true no matter how badly she would have liked it to be true. Sighing as she looked towards the window that allowed her to see the burgh outside of the inn, Thalia frowned now before her gaze dropped towards the table. “Why the long face?” A voice spoke up causing Thalia to lift her gaze to the speaker and she shook her head.

“Do you really need me to explain it, Saewynn?”

“Not really, but if I had to venture a guess I would say that it has to do with your feelings about a particular… Oh let’s say… a particular Sunlight Warrior?” Thalia groaned with head hitting the table as her friend Saewynn came to sit down at the same table. “Boy, didn’t I just hit that spot on.”

“I would ask how you know but there’d be no point...” Thalia managed as Saewynn watched her.

“No, there really wouldn't be,” Saewynn told her as she watched her best friend raise her head before stealing away the half-empty bottle of wine that Thalia seemed to favor more then any other drink in the world. “Of _all_ the alcohols in the world _**WHY**_ do you insist on drinking this particular brand of wine? It tastes like dog shit.”

“Says the bitch who drinks Ale that tastes like actual shit.”

“Touché,” Saewynn told her earning a slight laugh from Thalia while she drank some of the wine. “I miss the ale from Catarina.”

“You miss a lot of things from Catarina,” Thalia remarked with a snort. “Just like I miss things from...” Her voice trailed away then as Saewynn frowned.

“You actually miss being in Carim don’t you?” Saewynn inquired as Thalia nodded.

“Don’t get me wrong, Lordran has its...charms…” Saewynn knew that Thalia was putting that in a lighter tone, “But Carim hold a special place in my heart.”

“More so then Astora?”

“Always. Astora was okay for the short amount of time I lived there with my father and family, but Carim is my home and always will be. It’s where I truly grew up after all.”

“Is that why you didn’t kill Lautrec?”

Thalia laughed then, “No. I didn’t kill him for another reason.”

“You should have, or at least you should have allowed him to go hollow.”

“That would just be cruel. I’m not as cruel as most people would like to believe me to be.”

“True but I know you too well and know that you can be particularly cruel if your extremely pissed off.” Thalia opened her mouth to speak before closing it again with a huff. “What no argument? I should mark this day in my journal.” Saewynn teased as Thalia shot her a black look. “If looks could kill!”

“You’d be dead ten times over by now,” Thalia remarked as Saewynn busted up laughing.

“That would be very true!” Saewynn laughed as Thalia struggled to not laugh but the shared look between her and her friend had both cracking up.

As they calmed down, Thalia looked at Saewynn before both cracked up again. “Ooh fuck, I knew the wine was a bad idea...” Thalia managed as as smiled through the tears that welled up with how hard she was laughing. Calming down once more they finally managed to stop laughing but didn’t stop smiling. “How is it you know how to cheer me up so well?”

“I just have a great sense of humor?”

“Bullshit,” Thalia laughed as Saewynn gave a shit-eater’s grin. “Anyways, onto some other subject so I don’t have to talk about my non-existent love life with you.”

“Hey now! I feel offended at that.”

Thalia rolled her eyes, “Let’s just hop onto another subject shall we?”

“Yes let’s,” And with that the two women drank wine and talked about whatever came to their minds. Though the next morning, Thalia would awaken with a massive hangover and barely any memory of how she had gotten into the bed she had used last time she was in the inn. Though she was sure it would likely have to do with the flashes of gold that kept popping up in her mind when she tried to figure out what had happened after the seventh or eight bottle that she had tried to down.

“Hungover?” A masculine voice inquired as Thalia looked over to see a familiar (and right now helmet-less) golden armored blue haired knight leaning against the wall.

“So you are still alive, Lautrec.” Thalia said as she flinched the moment she passed a bright sunlit window. “And here I was thinking you hadn’t used that gift I left you.”

Lautrec shrugged then, “After you left it took me a while to actually work up any energy to do anything. But you had a point. It was pathetic of me to allow myself to hollow like I was.”

“I didn’t say it was pathetic,” Thalia corrected him but he only smiled. _Cheeky bastard…_

“Maybe not but it was,” Lautrec stayed leaning against the wall as he watched her walk past him. “So you are from Carim.”

“You heard that?”

“Heard it? I knew from the day you freed me. Those of us from Carim tend to...oh what’s the word I’m looking for?” He asked with his usual smirk.

“I believe the word you are looking for is drift,” Thalia told him as she walked around in search of something. “Where the fuck did I put the damned thing?”

“Ah yes. Those of us from Carim tend to drift towards each other after a while.”

“But I look nothing like those who come from Carim.”

“Maybe not, but you are still from Carim,” Lautrec told her as he stood and walked over to her to grab her wrist and turned her fully towards him. “Thalia?”

“What?” She looked at him with slight surprise and noted that he actually had a soft look to his face at that moment.

“Thank you,” he told her before releasing her and walking out of the inn, leaving her completely floored at his words.

“For what…?” she inquired to no one but herself. After standing for a moment staring after him, she shook her head and looked around. “What the fuck just happened?” She was now utterly and hopelessly confused but took the fact of Lautrec thanking her for what it was: the knight thanking her for what she had done. But something told her that would _**NOT**_ be the last time she would see the Favored Knight as he was correct with saying that those from Carim tended to drift towards each other. But when she would see him again would be sometime in the near future when Thalia would experience a sudden betrayal from the one person she considered her closest friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes Ladies and Gentlemen you have read that right, I have finally revealed where Thalia is actually from. She is from Carim.


	13. Twelve

Thalia was kneeling before the Fair Lady who brushed her hand against Thalia’s cheek. “Thank you my loyal servant. The pain is fading now.”

“Anything for you, my lady.” Thalia responded as a thrill ran through her at hearing those words come from the Fair Lady. At one time Thalia would have found it strange to be called a servant, but having seen how ill the Fair Lady had been and seeing her slowly return to health, Thalia did not care if she was nothing more then a servant. Closing her eyes, Thalia felt extremely lucky (and she would be lying if she said that there was a tiny part of her that didn’t inwardly squeal like a giddy little girl) when the Fair Lady pulled her head close and gently placed a soft kiss upon her forehead.

“Go now my Chosen Undead. To Lost Izalith,” The Fair Lady allowed Thalia to stand and spoke of a short cut to reach the city swifter then what the normal route. “Take the hidden path. But be careful, there are creatures on the path it comes out to that will harm you if you are not careful. Kill them before they can harm you.”

“I will my Lady, and I will return to you again with more Humanities.” Thalia swore as the Fair Lady smiled at her words.

“Go now and be swift.”

“Of course,” Thalia said. She knew that a bow would be pointless, the Fair Lady was blind so words were best unless the Fair Lady had a hand on her cheek. Stopping by the egg-burdened man known to her as Einjyi, Thalia and he exchanged words as he gave her a spell he had only recently thought up and he smiled at her.

“Thank you, Thalia,” He told her as she looked at him with confusion.

“For what?”

“For making our Lady’s pain lessen. You are truly a worthy servant and we are not deserving to have you among our ranks.”

“No one should have to suffer through illness, especially not the Fair Lady. I would not wish it upon even my greatest enemy. And it is I who is not worthy of being a Servant.”

Einjyi chuckled at that, “Oh but you are. Well don’t let me keep you. Speed along to Lost Izalith as our Lady has bid you. I will see you upon your return.”

“And I you,” With that Thalia left the room with a smile. It did her a world of good to see her Lady feeling better with her visit. Stretching her arms above her head, Thalia felt her back and shoulders pop and slight flinched. After she did that she walked down the path that would lead her to the short cut to Lost Izalith and rolled her shoulders and head to pop her neck before cracking her knuckles. The one thing Thalia had done before arriving down here was change out her old leather armor in favor of a new set. Many would consider it more of a set of armor for those who were thieves but it was lighter then her old leather armor and so she would favor this set for a while. _That one man I met at Firelink called it the Black Leather set, or thief armor __as it were. What was his name again? _Thalia paused as she place her hand upon her chin in thought before dismissing it with a shake of her head. “Bah. Either way, it better fits with my needs and my old armor was needing to be changed out anyway.” Thalia looked to her side and smiled, “Good thing I also have a new bow and some better arrows too.” At her side, in her quiver, were arrows known to her as Moonlight Arrows and while she had been skeptical of their bright white color at first, she had discovered (on more then one occasion thanks to more idiots invading her “world”) that they did not reveal her location to anyone and so she had decided to continue using them (after she had made sure to buy more then enough to last her). The bow itself she had taken as a trophy from a hunter in the forest known as Darkroot Garden (at least that was the name she had been told it was called by, by the Blacksmith near the entrance to the forest) who had been trying to pelt her full of arrows. Continuing on her path Thalia frowned as she walked and realized that as she drew closer to wherever she was going the hotter it got, quiet literally. Upon exiting the tunnel Thalia stopped near the bonfire before continuing on the path before her where she noted _**MORE**_ people that were like Einjyi. Frowning she notice that they were content to leave her be and, with a shrug, she left them alone as well. Pulling up the face mask that came with her armor (her hood was already pulled up as per usual for her), Thalia soon saw the reason behind _**WHY**_ it was getting so damn hot and inwardly groaned. _Fucking __**LAVA**__?!_ She stared out at the massive pools of lava before turning and feeling her jaw drop as her gaze landed on a distant figure, a figure she knew she would likely have no choice but to kill in order to move further on into her journey to Lost Izalith and it broke her heart to know what she would have no choice but to do and, of course, it lead her to cursing her kind and gentle heart but she had to do what she had to do.Several moments later, after Thalia had done what was needed to be done (which honestly left a bad taste in her mouth just by thinking about the creature she had had to kill), Thalia found herself staring at a hole in the wall before another fog door and walked over towards the edge of the cliff like area and shivered as she looked down. “How in the fuck am I supposed to get down ther- _**OH**_!” She looked around and spotted a mostly flat root like thing and carefully (so as not to fall), she went over to it and cautiously walked down it (she was also now glad that she had spent a good amount of her childhood climbing up and down trees) only to crush some insect-like creature under her foot upon stepping off of the root. “Ugh! Damned bugs!” She hissed as she wasted no time in shooting each of the little crawling creatures dead. Even after she opened the massive door blocking her way she continued to slaughter the little buggers but something caught her eye as it shone almost as brightly as the sun but all it was was yet another bug and she crushed it under her boots as it couldn’t get away from her fast enough. “I don’t have issues with moths, butterflies and certain other bugs but the creepy crawly ones,” Thalia shivered before realizing that she was actually talking to herself out-loud. “I need to stop doing that...” She huffed as she finished slaughtering the _**LAST**_ insect. Looking up she spotted a lizard running away from her and, after checking to make sure she had killed all the bugs, she released an arrow and killed it before walking over and claiming whatever the lizard had dropped for her. Sighing, she heard something and yelped just as a lightning bolt flew past her and turned her arrows upon a strange demon like creature and filled it with arrows. Once it was dead, with her only having been nearly struck by the lightning twice, Thalia found herself groaning as she realized that she needed to head up to a bonfire and as she re-entered the passage, that was exactly when and how she found herself in the predicament of where she was now wishing the gods to strike her down with lightning as she had found Solaire sitting down on the ground with a sorrowful and semi-blank gaze and seeing him like that worried her greatly. “Solaire?”

But it was as if he didn’t hear her voice and so he spoke softly to himself, “Was it all a lie? Have I done this all, for nothing? Oh, my dear sun... What now, what should I do...?...My sun, my dear, dear sun...”

Frowning as she walked over to him(making sure to remove her hood and face mask), she crouched down and reach out to place a hand on his shoulder, “Solaire?” She asked softly as he finally seemed to realize that he wasn’t alone. “Are you alright?” Watching as he looked up at her, she could swear at that moment her chest constricted as he barely spoke. Whatever he said next was too quiet for her to hear, but suddenly she found herself carefully removing his helm (of which she found it odd as he did not stop her) and gently set it at his side as she allowed one of her knees to touch the ground as she placed a hand upon his cheek earning her having him turn his blue eyes upon her to met hers. “Oh you silly man,” She called him that softly. “If your sun is not down here, maybe it is elsewhere or maybe even closer then you would like to think.” She told him before leaning forward and, in a serious spur of the moment thing, kissed his other cheek with a tenderness rarely ever seen from her. Then reaching down she took his hand into her own, squeezed it gently yet firmly and smiled softly at him before speaking once more, “I may not have been looking for what you are but...” Thalia watched as he finally, _finally_, realized that she _**was**_ actually there in front of him and that he was not imagining that she had willingly kissed his cheek and still had his hand within her own, “I’ve found my sun, and it was purely by accident. But I am a huntress and I must continue the hunt until I have found my quarry.” With one last squeeze of her hand with his, Thalia stood and he watched with shock clear on his face as she turned back the way she had come from and vanished from his sight into the darkness of the hallway above him. And now as she stood with back against the wall, heart racing at millions of miles per second, Thalia really was wishing the gods would strike her down with lightning or something as she had actually thought her actions through she had just reacted. _Did I really just do that? Did I really just kiss Solaire’s cheek and hold his hand for an extended amount of time? _The pounding sensation of her heart and the burning of her cheeks answered those questions for her as she came to the simple conclusion of the fact that she truly was falling harder in love with the Sunlight Warrior then what she should be but it was at that same moment, her grandmother’s words about what feeling love was like came back to her.

“_One day little Thalia, you will find a man who makes your head spin and your heart sing. A man who you will do anything and be anyone you can be just for him. It won’t matter to you what Age, what world, he is from, all that will matter to you is him and his happiness. And he will feel the same way about you. He will want to always be at your side as you will want to be at his. He will move the heavens and the earth just to be with you as to him you will be as bright as the sun, yet as gentle as the moon. He will be your everything and you will be his. For never will there be any brighter of a flame then one that is born of the love between two people who truly care and love each other.”_

Thalia opened her eyes with a very soft chuckle, _“You knew all along didn’t you grandmother?” _Thalia asked to no one but herself as she realized just how right her grandmother had been. But now, Thalia also wondered if Solaire felt the same way for her as she felt about him. Shaking her head to clear it, she decided to head towards where she would need to do next and (like an idiot) forgot about going to a bonfire. Thankfully for her as she went to face off against the thing known as the “Bed of Chaos” she would find herself in the favor of lady luck at least this time she would.

***

Solaire found himself still sitting in shock even hours after Thalia had left him. Something about the gentle kiss she had left on his cheek had brought him back from the brink of despair and now he was fully certain that she had feelings for him. But he had been so in shock that he had been unable to ask her anything even after she had told him about accidentally finding her sun without even having been looking for it. Yet one particular phrase stood out the most to him, _“__If your sun is not down here, maybe it is elsewhere or maybe even closer then you would like to think.” _And now he began to wonder if she was right. Maybe the sun he was looking for wasn’t here in Lost Izalith, maybe it was elsewhere and he had just missed it, or maybe it was closer then he had dared to hope. _But if it was closer then he knew, who or what could it be? _What form could his sun be taking that he wasn’t aware of at that moment in time? As he absentmindedly reached up to touch the cheek that she had willingly kissed so gently a voice in the back of his mind told him that his “sun” was Thalia, but he wasn’t sure if that voice was right as it had led him astray a time or two before he had come to Lordran. Yet now, even his gut instinct was telling him that there was something _more_ to his relationship with that kind-hearted huntress named Thalia then just simple friendship. And then it struck him, hard. _H__e truly was __falling __in love with her_and like a moron, he had just let her walk away a second time. But he frowned as he realized that he and Thalia barely knew anything about the other despite the many times their worlds had cross and the times they had fought alongside each other and suddenly his own father’s words came back to him.

“_Love doesn’t need an excuse. It can come from anyone and anywhere at anytime. You could be separated by years, the ages even, and still love will come to you when you least expect it. When you find it, hold onto it for as long as possible. For the person w__ho__ will truly love __you __will show it to you through their actions, not just words.”_ As his father’s voice echoed in his mind, Solaire felt his memories of his interactions with Thalia come to the forefront of his mind, “_They will allow you to do things for them that they won’t allow anyone else to do.”_ The memory of when he had seen how badly burned Thalia’s right hand and lower arm had been and of how she had allowed him to tend to it with a gentle as he had been. _“They will share things about themselves that they won’t with anyone else,” _Several memories of Thalia talking with Solaire about things that had caused him to laugh, smile and just seemingly eased her of whatever heavy burdens she had. _“They will even be there for you __in your darkest hour when you start to believe that your journey was all for nothing.” _And the final memory of Thalia having just recently been with him and speaking with Solaire rose last. _“That will be the person who truly loves you. A person who wants to see you be the best man you can be and they will be as bright as the sun itself to you yet also as gentle as the moon.” _Solaire looked the direction Thalia had gone in and felt his heart constrict as he realized that she was heading towards the Bed of Chaos. A part of him realized that there would be no possible way he would reach the door that lead to the Bed of Chaos in time to aid her and he felt fear grip him but he shook it away and silently prayed for her safety. Closing his eyes, he took in a deep breath, took his helm from where she had set it and placed it back on before standing and continuing his own journey with the plan to continue aiding her in their shared path to reach the First Flame. Feeling some form of joy, he couldn’t help but acknowledge the fact that he _**HAD **_found his sun and it really was in the way (and the form) he had least expected it to be in. _Thalia was his sun, no not a sun, she was _**HIS**_ huntress and now he would do whatever it would take to keep her alive on this journey._

“I pray we meet again soon, my Huntress.” He smiled as he spoke those words to no one but himself as he began his journey once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick announcement for anyone who cares:  
I have been thinking of starting a "Holiday special" series for this story line where I take Thalia, Solaire and Lautrec and throw them into a "Modern AU" (yes ThePruld is actually the main inspiration behind it as I've been watching his videos again) that will start with this upcoming holiday (at least in the United States) called Halloween. Now it may or may not come to life but if you all would like to see such an AU come to life let me know down in the comments below and I will make it happen


	14. Thirteen

Thalia rested her head back against one of the cool stone walls that were around Firelink Shrine. The fight with the Bed of Chaos had been bat-shit insane what with the floor having been caving in at times as she had destroyed whatever those glowing things had been at the Bed’s sides, on top of barely having been missed by whatever that strange creature had been that had broken free of the Bed to attack her with scythe like claw things. Thalia had never before felt such intensity in her life yet it had been exhilarating. But now, as the exhilaration wore off, the was an empty feeling in her chest as she also realized that the Fair Lady had actually released Thalia from her bonds of being her servant. Not because she had killed the Bed of Chaos but because the Fair Lady believed Thalia needed to be free to continue on her path without feeling obligated to return to her. Sighing as she closed her eyes, Thalia wondered what she should do now. One of her many reasons to continue on her journey had been to find ways to ease the Fair Lady’s pain. Opening her eyes, Thalia wondered where she needed to go next and because of that she had missed the sound of familiar foot fall as someone approached her. “Thalia?”

“Son of a-!” Thalia about leapt out of her skin as she realized that someone had managed to successfully sneak up on her. “Solaire?” She asked as she turned to see the man looking at her with worry as he realized that he had just frightened her nearly half to death.

“I am so sorry!” he apologized swiftly as she looked up at him.

“It's fine...” She told him as she calmed her racing heart down. “Holy shit, I need to find better places to lose myself in thought.”

Solaire walked up to her before sitting next to her, “Are you alright?”

“I’ll be fine eventually. Just thinking is all.”

“About what, if you don’t mind me asking?” Thalia bit her lip before telling him what had happened after she had defeated the Bed of Chaos.

“...But I never imagined that the Fair Lady would release me from her service. It… well to say it shocks me is putting it lightly.”

It shocked Solaire as well. Never had he heard of anything like that happening and now he was worried for Thalia. “Will you be alright?” he asked softly as she looked down towards the grass as she began to nitpick at it.

“I think so. It just took me by surprise is all and I’m just not sure what to do now...” She told him as he watched her worriedly. Biting at her lips, Thalia honestly wasn’t sure how she should feel about being released from the Fair Lady’s service. While it gave her a chance to experience another covenant, there was a part of her that was still greatly worried for the Lady, it was in Thalia’s nature, after all, to worry about those who she had come to care for and the Fair Lady was no exception. They spoke a little longer, with Solaire trying to take Thalia’s mind off of the rather depressing topic, and soon, for several moments, Thalia and Solaire sat in silence, both content to just be in the presence of the other for the time being.

Watching as the rays of the sun filtered through the leaves of the trees, Thalia allowed her mind to wander and soon found memories, that she wasn’t even aware of having, soon began to rise to the surface of her mind and so, as if curiosity got the better of her, Thalia allowed the strongest of these memories to overcome her and during the memory something would strike her as she came to realize just what _THIS_ particular memory was about.

_A teenage _ _Thalia sat upon a snowy hillside, chin on her knees, as she stared blankly out into the dark night with tears in her eyes wh_ _i_ _le fluffy flakes of snow fell softly all around her. “_ _What are you doing out here all alone?” The voice was masculine in nature and Thalia turned her head to see a teenage boy, likely no older then what she herself was, with blue eyes that were almost black and dark blue hair that was typical of those who were born of the city of Carim (minus Thalia herself of course, as she had been born with blue eyes that were light or dark depending on how much sun, candle, or torch light, was around her and dirty blonde hair that was _ _more of reminiscent of those from Astora rather then Carim_ _ where these two were just outside of at that moment). _

“_What’s wrong with me being out here alone? Maybe I just like being alone.” Thalia huffed as the boy sat next to her in a very familiar way. _

“_I doubt that,” The teenage boy next to her smirked before he frowned. “What’s your name? I don’t think I’ve seen you round here before.”_

“_Thalia. What about you?”_

“_Lautrec.” __The boy replied swiftly before asking her again what she was doing out here by herself. _

“_I just needed some time to think, everything these past few days have been...”_

“_Overwhelming?” Thalia nodded and he could understand that. He had only just recently heard of Thalia’s arrival to Carim and while part of him wondered _**WHY**_ she was here another part told him that it was likely none of his business. Deciding to change the subject, he began to talk with her about other things and found that as they spoke, the tears that had been gathering in her eyes soon vanished as they were swiftly replaced by laughter and jokes __from both of them but soon they landed on the topic of what they wanted to do when they were grown and Lautrec smirked as he explained his plan. “...Noble life doesn’t suit me at all,” A brief scowl crossed his face as Thalia looked at him. “So I plan on trying to become the Favored Knight of the Goddess Fina.”_

“_I wish you luck with that,” Thalia told him as he thanked her. _

“_What about you? What is your plan for when you are fully grown?”_

_Thalia shook her head. “I’m not sure exactly. I’m the bastard-born daughter of an Astorian noble so it’s not like I can claim any titles or lands, not that I’m suited for that anyways according to my grandmother.”_

_That surprised the younger version of Lautrec. “You’re bastard-born?”_

_Thalia nodded sadly, “I am. My father’s wife refers to me as a “horrid mistake that should have never happened”, my older brother Eluric is cruel as can be to me, and my Father sent me to live here in Carim with my grandmother while he tries to “smooth” things over with his wife.”_

_Lautrec frowned at that, “You’re not a mistake.” He wasn’t sure _ **WHERE** _ that came from but the surprise that crossed her face was worth it._

“_You don’t believe so?”_

“_No I don’t. We are all here for a reason aren’t we? Maybe your reason for being here hasn’t made itself known yet and is just waiting for the right time.” Lautrec watched as Thalia considered that carefully and something told him those would be the words that would keep her alive for a long while coming. _

The memory gave way to another and this one Thalia remembered well as it was one of the more recent memories, it was a memory that had taken place just before she had rung the first Bell of Awakening and so it was fresher to her.

_Thalia w_ _as walking through the Undead Parish (at least that’s what she called it) when she spotted something off to her left and frowned as she turned her gaze towards it only to see a flight of stairs. If she squinted just a little she could swear she saw a “ghost” of someone has it rushed towards the stairs and decided to follow it (which was probably not the smartest move she could pull). Following the “ghost” up the stairs she soon found herself battling knights and other creatures before she saw another “ghost” kicking down what looked to be a blocked off doorway. _ _Tilting her head, Thalia wondered how she would manage to destroy the wooden boards that stood in her way, but soon realized that they were rotting away and so she lifted up one of her legs before kicking outwards with her foot, causing the rotting wooden boards to break into splinters as they crumbled. Seeing a set of stairs leading to the area above her, Thalia decided to head up the stairs and soon saw what looked to be a man in golden armor sitting in a cell _ _but as she finished her approach to the man, he spoke up before she could and she blinked in surprise. “Oh? Still human, are you? Then I am in luck. Could you help me? As you can see I am stuck, without recourse.” _ _he spoke up as she watched him._

_S__omething about his voice alone seemed oddly familiar to her, but she dismissed it to ask him what she did next. “What can I do to help you?” She inquired _ _as he nodded towards the door _ _and asked her about finding a specific key. A key, of which, she already had in a pouch at her side much to his surprise. _

_Once the door was opened, the golden armored knight stood, _ _and walked up to her and smirked as he finally introduced himself to her, “Thank you, yes, sincerely. I am Knight Lautrec of Carim. I truly appreciate this, and I guarantee a reward, only later.” He noticed that he was a head taller then her but that really didn’t surprise him, _ _most human men were taller then their female counterparts. _

“_Thalia of Carim, though I don’t look I __come from there__.” __She could tell that h__is thoughts stopped dead in their tracks at that moment but he said nothing more as she turned and began to head down the stairs as he watched after her._

As Thalia came back to herself, she became aware of a hand on her arm and turned to look at the owner of the hand as she remembered that Solaire was sitting next to her, “Are you alright?” He inquired softly as she slightly nodded.

“I will be. I was just lost in memory is all.” She told him as he watched her. Despite the fact that he constantly wore a helm, Thalia had learned that the best way to understand his current mood was to look into his eyes and now as she turned her head to turn her gaze towards to look at him she notice that he was watching her carefully, as if trying to decipher if her words were true. “I promise Solaire, I will be fine.” She told him as she gave him a soft smile.

Solaire wondered if Thalia was aware of the effect she had on him, but something told him that she wasn’t and it almost saddened him. Here sitting next to him was this huntress who was both so unique and somehow so strange at the same time that it often had him both worried and yet amazed at the same time, but before he could say anything about it, Thalia’s attention was captured by something and she looked away from and he, in turn, turned his gaze towards whatever she was looking at and his jaw about dropped as he saw something he had never before seen. “What are they?” Solaire suddenly asked as Thalia never once tore her gaze away from the now night sky that they hadn’t been aware of becoming dark.

“My grandmother called them “shooting stars”,” Thalia smiled as Solaire turned to her for a moment to see a gentle look upon her face. “My father and grandmother both used to tell me that the best time to see them was at night.”

Solaire turned away from her to watch as the sky lit up with stars that flew by, “Sounds like a fond memory.”

“It is. It’s one of my last few memories of my grandmother before she passed away after time caught up with her,” Thalia told him as Solaire turned back to her to see that she had unshed tears in her eyes but there was a slight smile on her face as well. Before she looked down towards the ground then, “She used to tell me that if I ever saw a shooting star that I should make a wish, and this might be silly of me, but sometimes I still do just that.”

Solaire watched as she looked to the ground with and smiled towards her before reaching out to place his hand on her shoulder causing her to lift her head to look at his hand before turning to look at him. Waiting until she met his eyes to speak, he removed his helm with her watching and let her see the smile he had. “It’s not silly at all,” He told her as she watched him. “Its something you do that keeps the memory of your grandmother close.” He smiled warmly, “Keeping doing it and never let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Thalia returned his smile, “Thank you Solaire, you don’t know how much hearing you say that means to me.” She told him before both returned to looking at the sky and watching the shooting stars as they flew by.


	15. Fourteen

Thalia awoke slowly from whatever dreamless slumber she had fallen into. She hadn’t intended to fall asleep but somehow it had snuck up on her and she had figured it to be one of two reasons: the first reason was that she was becoming extremely comfortable in Solaire’s presence (which in her mind was not a good thing as she knew that becoming comfortable in someone’s presence was a bad idea here in Lordran) and the second reason was that her consistent need to hide her feelings from everyone around her was finally starting to bite her in the ass (which, in truth, was a plausible reason as things like that _**DID**_ tire people out eventually). Which one of those reasons it was she honestly wasn’t sure of, but she figured it to be one or the other or maybe even a combination of both. Looking around she noted that she was, in fact, no longer at Firelink Shrine but in that one inn room she had basically claimed for herself since the night that Solaire had first brought her to it in her drunken stupor and smiled softly as she shook her head. Getting out of the bed, Thalia found herself unable to not smile as she thought of the Sunlight Warrior who very likely cared a great deal for her well-being as a person; looking out the window a dark thought crossed her mind and she frowned slightly. _But he would care for anyone he comes across. There’s just no way I’m in anyway special to him…_Turning away from the window, Thalia prepared to leave the room when the person she was thinking of entered.

“Your awake!” Thalia looked towards Solaire and smiled, “I hope you don’t mind that I brought you back here. You fell asleep while we were watching the stars and this was the only place I could think of to bring you to so you could sleep undisturbed.”

“I don’t mind at all Solaire,” Thalia watched as his own hidden smile reached his eyes and felt a little thrill run through her as he approached her only for him to stop just before her.

“Are you feeling better?” He asked softly as she nodded.

“I am, I guess yesterday was just one of those kinds of days where things just catch up to a person,” Thalia told him as she sighed.

“I know the feeling,” He was mentally cursing himself right now. He _wanted_ to kiss her so badly but he was constantly holding himself back from doing so as it just _didn’t feel like_ it was the right time to do so, but something told him that soon he would get to give her the kiss (and more). Something told him that something very bad was going to happen to her and that he would need every ounce of what he was holding back to bring her from the brink of whatever was going to very likely nearly break her will to continue living. If he could have known how right that voice was, he would have _**BEEN**_ there for Thalia when the event happened. As it was he was not as they separated shortly after they left the inn with her going one way as he went another.

As Thalia walked in the direction that would take her to Firelink Shrine, she couldn’t help but smile as her thoughts continued to turn back to Solaire. She couldn’t help but silently admit that she _**WAS**_ in love with the man and that she honestly didn’t care if getting comfortable around him was likely the worst idea in the world. “So you and Solaire huh?” A familiar voice spoke up as Thalia looked to her right to see Calemund walking up to her.

“What about it?”

“Nothing,” He shook his head with a smile. “Just unexpected is all. Have you told him about how you feel?”

“No.” That earned her a look from the man.

“You need to eventually,” Calemund told her before turning around to follow alongside her in silence. “I have a question for you.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

Calemund snorted, “Have you ever thought of becoming a dragon?”

Thalia stopped then, “Who do what now?”

“A dragon,” Calemund stopped as well and turned back to her. “You didn’t know that there’s still a dragon around?”

“Outside of the one that likes perching on the bridge? No I did not.”

Calemund looked like he was about to die right then and there from shock. “Come with me!” He told her after he recovered and, gripping her wrist, he all but dragged her towards Firelink shrine where they soon left it behind to head towards the underground area of Blighttown and then beyond even it.

“Where in the names of all the gods are we going?”

“To a place known as Ash Lake.”

“Ash Lake?”

“Most people never have a reason to come here, so most never hear about it. I happened upon it purely by accident and am beyond glad I did.”

“I still don’t get it,” Thalia said as Calemund looked at her with a slight smile.

“Just continue to follow me and you will see eventually!” He was starting to sound excited and Thalia wondered if he was alright. “Oh! You need scales!”

“What?”

“These!” He pulled something out and showed her before rummaging through his packs. “Have forty of them! You’ll need them!” He pushed a pack into her arms and she frowned.

“Why?”

“You’ll see!” He smirked as she followed him once more. “Now just follow me and be as quiet as possible, there’s a hydra in Ash Lake and trust me, its a royal pain in the rear to get passed.”

Still wondering if Calemund was losing it, Thalia continued to follow him until they reached their intended destination while somehow managing to slip past the hydra that was lurking around within the lake (of course in Thalia’s mind hydras were _**NOT**_ dragons they were seven-headed watery serpents that spewed jets of water not flame and were just all around an insult to the names of Dragons in general). But when Thalia and Calemund finally reached their destination Thalia’s jaw dropped as she watched something move and watched as not one but two pairs of wings spread to reveal an actual dragon. _“Ho-ly shit...”_ She didn’t want to believe what she was seeing, yet the proof was right there in front of her eyes. Unable to find her voice, Thalia turned to look towards Calemund only to recoil as she saw not a man but a dragon like creature standing where he had been only moments before.

“It’s still me Thalia,” He managed to smile while watching her.

“You… the dragon… but… how… what…” Thalia wasn’t sure what was going on and Calemund chuckled before she heard the dragon speak in a rumbling voice or well she SWORE the giant dragon spoke.

“_Daughter of the blood of dragons,” _Thalia turned back towards the dragon and felt frozen to the spot as it’s eyes landed upon her. _“We have long awaited one of yours to come. Come before me and kneel to pray before us to receive your gifts.”_ Thalia wasn’t sure why but something within her told her to do so and so, as if she had lost herself to some unknown thing, she walked towards the dragon and knelt down and prayed to the dragon (or rather dragons) and soon a bright light appeared before her. Reaching out she felt two things drop into her hand and studied them as the voice spoke once more. _“Tell me, do you have scales? Offer them to me and I will give you another item in exchange.”_ Remembering the forty scales that Calemund had given to her, Thalia pulled them out and offered all forty and received another item in return.

“Now combine the stone with a dragon’s head and the one you just received!” Calemund urged her before remembering what she needed to do before she did that. “OH! Also remove your armor!”

“WHAT?!” Thalia stood and looked alarmed.

“Don’t worry you’ll be fine! Dragons don’t wear clothing and besides once your combine the stones you’ll feel more...ah..” Calemund rubbed the back of his head, “Free… after you do so. You’ll also realize just how fun it is and will start to wear less armor and more “normal” clothing when _**NOT**_ in dragon form!” He smiled with eyes closed. Frowning, Thalia wasn’t so sure if she actually _WANTED_ to do this but she knew it was too late to turn back now and so stripped down to her breastband and small clothes before turning and combining the two stones that Calemund had instructed her to. Watching as the stones suddenly lit up, Thalia wasn’t able to react in time to what happened next. The stones glowed white, combined into one and then in a brighter light, Thalia watched and felt them (or rather _IT_ as it was just one stone now) collide with her which in turn knocked the breath out of her before a sudden agonizing pain washed over her. “I know it hurts Thalia but don’t fight it! Let the transformation wash over you!” Calemund sounded genuinely concerned and so Thalia allowed the pain wash over her.

When the pain subsided, Thalia opened her eyes and saw the world differently then what she normally did and it shocked her beyond belief. Before she could say anything the dragon before her spoke and Thalia looked up at him (or was it a her?), _“Now you are one of us. You may not be able to spread your wings and fly, but you are one of us. Welcome to being what you should have been all along. Welcome to being a dragon, Thalia of Carim.”_ With that the dragon folded his wings around himself and went back to sleep as Thalia looked to Calemund and noted that he actually LOOKED different compared to when she had last looked at him.

“YOU’RE BLUE?!”

“You should see yourself, I knew about your Chaos Pyromancy abilities but you are amazing! I never would have thought that such things would affect the colors of the dragon form!” He smiled as Thalia frowned before he waved for her to follow him. Following him, Thalia felt oddly comfortable yet almost out of place with the way she moved. Stopping for a moment (with Calemund doing so too to give her some time) she looked herself over, starting first with her hands and arms (she did note that her right arm didn’t seemed burned at all and that surprised her) before looking down too see that she was COMPLETELY different. Calemund watched as it suddenly dawned on her.

“I’m a dragon?!”

“Dragonoid. We aren’t exactly dragons as we can’t fly but yeah,” Calemund watched as excitement ran its course through Thalia, “we are a form of dragon.” Then he pointed towards the water. “Take a look at what you cant see well...head wise.” Thalia walked towards the water and looked onto the glossy surface and noted everything about this new form. Her “fur” was a deep reddish color, her scales were an orange-gold, her eyes nearly **_GLOWED_** a bright golden color, while her claws and horns were almost black and her teeth were white. Turning back to speak with Calemund she noted that he wasn’t just blue, his fur was dark blue while his scales were just a tid-bit lighter but his claws and horns were white like his teeth.

“Wait… why are you blue and white and not gold and white?” Thalia asked as Calemund explained. “Ah. That explains a lot actually.” As she thought somethings over _**ANOTHER**_ thought came up and suddenly she began to worry. “Oh shit...”

“What?”

“Solaire is an adherent to the Lord of Sunlight. What’s the one thing in the world that the Lord of Sunlight hates the most?”

Calemund went to open his mouth and suddenly froze, “Oh...well...shit...”

“I hope there is a way I can get out of this form?” She almost begged as Calemund nodded.

“Being of dragons blood, you can easily switch back and forth between dragon and human forms at will now but if you also die that another way to be free of the dragon form.”

“Okay...” another thought struck Thalia, “What about the stones?”

“To be honest? I watched them collide with you so I can only imagine that their power is now apart of you,” Calemund shrugged, “try switching back to human form?”

Thalia nodded and focused on being human and soon discovered that she was back to being human yet she could still see his dragon colors. “So odd but so exciting too! I wish Xiana where here! She would _**LOVE**_ this!”

“Whose Xiana?”

“A friend of mine from several years back, before all this started. She’s a wanderer who, last I heard, was off wandering the lands for more knowledge.”

“Ah,” Calemund nodded then, “Who knows you may just get lucky and see her again. If she’s on the search for knowledge, she may just likely end up in Lordran to head to the Duke’s Archives. All the knowledge she could ever want would be there.”

“Hopefully I get to meet her before I head there myself. She would love to see this!” Thalia was now hoping against hope to see her closest and dearest friend (outside of Saewynn who was still a close friend of Thalia’s). “I need to put my armor back on and head back up to Firelink.”

“You do that, I’m going to continue on back into The Great Hollow to explore around some more.” With a nod, Thalia and Calemund went their separate ways but Thalia was still almost buzzing with excitement of what had just happened to her. She could become a dragon like creature at will and some little voice in the back of her mind told her it would eventually be needed. Though there was another part of her that urged her to keep the ability secret for as long as possible, she knew that _**SOMETHING**_ would eventually happen that would cause her to reveal it. Secrets didn’t stay secrets for long in Lordran and this one would be no different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's right everyone: Thalia has joined those who are also in the "Path of the Dragon" covenant and there's a reason behind WHY she needed to be as you all will discover eventually. Yes I toyed around with the fur and scale colors because I feel it would be more natural (and easier) for Thalia and Calemund to be told apart (though I DO wish FromSoft had done something like it but it's understandable why they didn't) 
> 
> Xiana's name is pronounced she-on-a


	16. Fifteen

Thalia warped back to Firelink Shrine where the moment she was away from the bonfire, she was basically body-slammed into and both she and whoever it was that had purposefully collided with her hit the ground. Thalia with an “ompf” and the person with an excited “Thalia” being called out. “Oh shit, Thalia! Are you alright?! I didn’t mean to collide with you that hard!”

“I’ll be fine...just out of-!” Suddenly Thalia looked up and couldn’t help the cry that escaped her then as she recognized the person, “_**XIANA!**_” Thalia threw her arms around her longtime friend and Xiana returned the sudden hug. “_**HOLY**_ fuck! Where have you been?! I was _**JUST**_ thinking of you not even five minutes ago!”

“I just arrived a few days ago and have been scouring around for you when Ser Solaire brought me back here after telling me that you should be here at Firelink! I have so much to tell you!” Xiana allowed Thalia to stand finally and Thalia looked towards Solaire who watched the whole exchange with amusement.

“As I’ve said before, milady, I am no “Ser” just Solaire will be fine.” Solaire tried as Xiana turned to him.

“You’re a knight aren’t you?”

“I...well..yes but...”

“No buts! If you're a knight then you are a “Ser” plain and simple!” Xiana huffed back at him as he turned to Thalia who only shrugged.

“She has a point, Solaire, but I’ve been around you long enough that I won’t call you that,” Thalia told him before turning to Xiana. “_**OH!**_ Xiana! I have something to tell and show you later! Help me to remember while we are on the path to the Duke’s Archives.”

“I see you know me too well!”

“I _**DID**_ travel with you for how many years?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Xiana waved Thalia’s smart-ass remark away. “Anyways! I know the friendly reunion between you and Solaire needs to happen but I’m stealing you _**NOW **_Thalia. The sooner we head to the Archives the sooner we can catch up! Let’s go!”

Thalia laughed before she gripped Xiana’s wrist, “I have a faster way there,” then looking towards Solaire, she smiled warmly, “Looks like we’ll have to speak later Solaire. Thank you for guiding her back here, she’s almost as directionally challenged as I can be.” Xiana began to protest that and Thalia only smiled before all but dragging the woman with her to the bonfire and both vanished in a warp to wherever would be closest to the Archives.

Solaire laughed heartily then before shaking his head and walking away, “I’ll see you later as well, my huntress.”

***

“Oh this is so amazing!” Xiana spoke with excitement as she reached out to touch Thalia’s arm but stopped short to look back towards Thalia who nodded. “You are able to _**BECOME**_ a dragon?”

“Dragonoid. Not a true dragon but damn well near it,” Thalia said as Xiana studied Thalia who standing with a smile on her face.

“Doesn’t matter to me! I have a friend who can become a dragon!” Thalia and Xiana laughed.

“A protective friend who can become a dragon at will.”

“What?!”

“Yeah!” Thalia then changed back into her human self and Xiana looked like she was about to burst in overjoyed excitement.

“Holy! Let me take a quick few notes!” Xiana pulled out a book from somewhere and swiftly wrote somethings down that she would likely “refine” in the Archives. “I have so many questions now but I think it best we get to the Archives now, yes?” Xiana asked as Thalia nodded before deciding to transform back into her dragon form.

“You like it don’t you?”

“Why wouldn’t I? I am a dragon like creature!” Thalia smirked as Xiana and her began to walk in the direction of the Archives. “But there is one downside,” Thalia frowned now and Xiana turned to her.

“Solaire?” Thalia nodded sadly, “Oh Thalia, if Solaire _**TRULY**_ cares for you he won’t care what form you take or use. Even if it goes against everything he knows, he will still see you as you.” Xiana told Thalia who sighed.

“Xiana, Solaire is an adherent of the Lord of Sunlight. He’s a Warrior of Sunlight. You know the stories of the Sunlight Warriors as well as I do. Even if he _**DOES **_care for me, and that’s a really_** BIG IF**_, his duties to the Lord of Sunlight will likely outweigh any feelings he has about me.

“Still though. Stranger things _**HAVE**_ happened around us Thalia, you should know that very well by now.”

“I...” Thalia could _**NOT**_ argue with that point as strange things did always seem to happen whenever she and Xiana where around one another or just in the general vicinity of the other. “Point made and noted.”

“Besides, Thalia, I was around him for several hours. As we spoke of you well,” Xiana smirked then as they walked towards the Archives. “He loves you, Thalia.”

“What?”

“You haven’t noticed?” Xiana asked as Thalia shook her horned head. “Well I can tell you that I heard the tone in his voice. He loves you Thalia, and if I know anything about the feelings of love, its that Love will make men and women do insane things or defy the very logic of their natures. After all, Love is-”

“Love is the death of duty,” Thalia spoke up as Xiana, “But the same could be said of Duty being the death of love. Solaire has a duty and I would expect nothing less of him then for him to do his duty, even if it means that whatever love he may have for me must die.”

Xiana studied Thalia closely then, “You love him too don’t you?” Thalia’s shocked reaction was all Xiana needed to know the answer to her question. “You do. Does he know?”

“No. I haven’t told him and now that I have the ability to become a dragon like creature I can’t.”

“Can’t or too afraid to do so?”

“Can’t.”

Xiana frowned as she reached out and stopped Thalia, “Thalia. You _**need **_to do so. If you don’t, you will _**lose**_ what you have with him before it can even begin.”

“Xiana, I _**CAN’T**_. Don’t you see? If he were to ever see me like this,” Thalia waved a clawed hand to herself, “I know he will reject me and then try to kill me.”

“How do you _**know**_ that he will?” Xiana frowned then as she crossed her arms.

“Xiana-”

“_**HOW**_ do you _**KNOW**_ he will? Nothing is truly sure in this,” Xiana uncrossed her arms and waved around them, “Land of the Lords. I’m sure that the first time you met him he told you the same thing he told me.”

“What do you?”

“He told me about how time is convoluted in this place. He has said that relations shift and obscure. You’ve also told me what your grandmother said about love and how it doesn’t care what world or what time a person comes from.”

Thalia looked away from Xiana then, “That doesn’t change the fact that he’s a...”

“Maybe it doesn’t, but love itself is a powerful thing. It defies the logic of reason.”

“It has also driven good men and women to do very bad things.”

“Very true but still,” Xiana said as she met Thalia’s golden colored dragon eyes. “Solaire _**LOVES**_ you Thalia and it really wouldn’t surprise me at all if he did something illogical and just downright stupid to prove it to you, even if it goes against everything he has been taught.”

Thalia looked away once more towards the horizon, but whatever thoughts she was having she would never voice but she did voice something. “I pray you are right Xiana, I really do.”

“You and me both. You and me both.”


	17. Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter I know but I am working on the next one as we speak, but its been a bit since this was last updated so I figured I would throw a cliffhanger your guys way (sorry not sorry lol)

Thalia sat alone at the bonfire that was before some elevator type thingy that would lead up and into the duke’s archives. While she knew who and what the “Duke” actually was, she had decided to stop for a little bit while Xiana had continued on without her. Staring into the bonfire before her, Thalia felt herself become lost to the “empty void” of no thoughts but she didn’t remain that way for long as the sound offamiliar footfallcame echoing towards her from the entrance to the area she was in. Glancing to her left, she watched as Solaire himself came walking into the area and felt her heart all but seize up as she watched him approach the bonfire but for the most part he was content to leave her alone until he sat down to take a quick break. Watching him for a moment, Thalia knew he had seen her but she turned her gaze away to watch the fire for a moment longer before finally deciding to stand and begin her journey to fight the Duke, “Thalia?” Thalia paused in her tracks with heart now pounding within her rib-cage and looked towards Solaire once more who stood to walk over to her. Watching him carefully as he finished his approach she noted that he was honestly taller then her (She had made a mental note of it when they had first met but after being away from him for so long she could see that he was). Unsure of what to do she watched him carefully as he lifted his hand up and touched the side of her face. Watching as she tensed up he spoke softly to calm her nerves. “I won’t hurt you Thalia,” He told her softly as he removed his hand from her cheek. She watched as he looked her over and wondered how she looked to him, and as if he had read her mind he spoke once more. “I have seen the dragon form before but this… I have never before seen the colors of your dragon form on any of the others that I have seen.” Thalia frowned and made to speak before remembering that those who were not apart of her newfound covenant (or even Xiana or anyone who was a “Dragon Scholar”) wouldn't be able to understand her and so thought better of it. “I know,” He said as if knowing what she had wanted to do. Suddenly, as if a wild hare had decided to get a hold of him, Solaire reached back up and touched her cheek before removing his helm and, being careful so as not to cut himself upon her horns he moved his hand to the back of her head and pulled their foreheads together. Closing her eyes, Thalia couldn’t help but let out a small noise as Solaire closed his own eyes. To him her fur was soft, softer then any other kind of fur he had touched before and while it surprised him it was also oddly pleasing. “After you finish with this place, meet me back at the inn. I have something I wish to speak with you about,” After that he pulled away and watched as she looked back up at him, “Be in human form when you come to find me.” It wasn’t so much a command as it was a suggestion but Thalia still nodded to show that she understood. As she turned to continue on, Solaire called out to her and she turned her gaze towards him one last time before stepping onto the elevator, “Be careful,” He called out as she nodded once more with a slight smile. Watching her vanish out of sight, Solaire knew that Thalia would be able to handle herself yet there was a part of him that was still worried for and about her, of course that feeling only escalated as he began his own journey throughout the Archives only to have Xiana go near _**FLYING**_ past him in a panic. “Xiana?” He inquired as he watched the woman slide to a stop, or well, watched as she turned to face him as she went sliding across the floor only to crash into a few tables.

“_**SON OF A BITCH!”**_ Xiana yelped as Solaire watched with wide eyes for a moment.

“_**Xiana!” **_Solaire went racing over to the poor woman who groaned as she sat up.

“Well that could have gone a bit better,” Xiana looked to see Solaire offering a hand to her and took it, “Thank you,” She told him as he nodded while helping her to stand. “Now onto my original thoughts. Have you seen Thalia?”

“She left the bonfire at the entrance roughly several minutes ago. Why?”

Xiana looked to him and frowned for a second, “Because I’ve just discovered something that she _**NEEDS**_ to see, or well, _**HEAR**_ about.” When Solaire gave her a curious look, Xiana crossed her arms and frowned again. “You know the whole “Undead being Chosen” prophecy and all that?” Solaire nodded as he figured it was the main reason that Thalia was even _**IN**_ Lordran at all. “Well...turns out that whole prophecy is related to _**ANOTHER**_ Undead _**not**_ to Thalia. Thalia wasn’t meant to be the Chosen Undead but rather she was actually meant to be...” And what Xiana said next shocked Solaire into pure disbelief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Information on Xiana:  
1) She is the character a really close friend of mine (smolwarden aka a woman whose like a sister to me) came up with for me to use in this story so Xiana belongs to her NOT me.
> 
> 2) Xiana IS important to Thalia's story as well as Thalia's background and more about their spazzy relationship will be revealed in later chapters. How they met will be revealed in roughly 2-3ish chapters.
> 
> 3) Xiana is a "Hybrid" class character. Meaning that like Thalia is of the "Hunter" class who uses pyromancies (making her a Hunter-Pyromancer hybrid class), Xiana is of the "Wanderer" class whose second class is "Thief" meaning that she is a Wanderer-Thief hybrid class and while I know classes don't mean much to the Souls series this is a fanfic so they count for something I promise.


	18. Seventeen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair Warning: Depending on the response to this Chapter (which is, in my mind, a filler chapter) it may or may not be taken down to be replaced. If you all like it enough I will leave it so please please comment below if you enjoyed this chapter and want to keep it or want me to tear it down to get started on a "proper" chapter to replace it (of which this will be left up until it's replacement is finished).

Pain bloomed throughout Thalia’s side as she felt herself hit the ground, hard. She was in an insurmountable amount of pain both from this fight and the recent battle with the Duke she knew to be named Seath the Scaleless. Even though she had defeated the scaleless dragon, she had not walked away from it unscathed. Forcing herself to stand, Thalia allowed a snarl escaping her jaws, she looked up to see the familiar form of Calemund slowly stalking towards her before he was suddenly interrupted by what appeared to be a Silver Knight. _A...a Silver Knight...here...Outside of Anor Londo? _

“_I won’t let you get any closer to her!”_ The Silver Knight spoke up as Thalia watched with slightly-blurring vision.

“Well well, if it isn’t Silver Knight Wuldric! I didn’t expect to see you ever again.”

“You have no rights to speak my name, undead filth,” The Knight snarled as Thalia continued to watch as the two spoke for a bit longer before the Silver Knight and Calemund began to duel it out.

_Wuldric… _Thalia closed her eyes for a moment before forcing herself to stand back up just as the Silver Knight was throw back by Calemund’s sudden transformation into his dragon-kin form. Watching Thalia snarled as she called upon her own dragon form and leapt towards Calemund just as he went for the Silver Knight. Roaring as she threw herself at Calemund, she slammed into him and sent him flying off course and the Silver Knight blinked from under his helm. “Wuldric get out of here.”

“I can’t do that Chosen Undead...”

“Just go!” Thalia snarled as the Knight stood with a worried glance cast her way.

“Very well but if I believe you need help I will return,” Wuldric swore before he left that area just a few moments before Xiana appeared to see Thalia and Calemund now dueling it out in dragon forms before witnessing Thalia being flung backwards as Calemund threw a rather nasty clawing at her.

“_**THALIA!”**_ Xiana cried out as she leapt forward to parry the next blow that was headed towards a now unconscious Thalia’s way, but Calemund seemed to predict the incoming blade swipe and swiftly leapt away, forcing Xiana to follow after him until they were pretty far away from Thalia. Unknown to the three, Solaire was rushing towards the area they were in with Lautrec close behind as the two had accidentally met while on their way to Firelink, but they wouldn’t make it to where Thalia, Xiana and Calemund were for a while.

***

“_Oh my dear grandbaby...” A familiar voice spoke up as Thalia opened her eyes to see a familiar woman standing over her with a hand rested on Thalia’s cheek. _

“_Gran...grandma?” Thalia asked as she slowly sat up from the position she was laying in. “But your… How is this possible?” _

“_Anything is possible sweety,” The woman who stood kneeling before Thalia was silver haired and had deep blue eyes reminiscent of those who were from Carim. But unlike those from Carim, Thalia’s grandmother had what could easily be mistaken for a tattoo upon the left side of her face. It had always been a curiosity for Thalia but she had never asked about it. _

“_But...I _**SAW**_ you die…” Thalia spoke up as her grandmother smiled softly._

“_You saw what I wished for you to see baby girl.”_

“_What you wanted me to see? What do you mean?”_

“_Haven’t you wondered why your father’s family and friends called you the “Slumbering Dragon”?”_

“_I was a bit curious but I never dared to ask.”_

“_There is a reason behind it my dear granddaughter. You are of two very special bloodlines.”_

“_Special bloodlines?”_

“_I was a child of the bloodline of the long forgotten Dragon God himself.”_

“_I didn’t think the dragons had gods.”_

“_Once long ago we did, but he became infected by a great sickness and had to be put down for his own good.” _

“_We?”_

“_Yes my little huntress. Whether or not you are willing to accept it my grandchild depends on you but you too are of the Dragon God’s blood. But you are not just apart of his bloodline, you are also a direct descendant of the Furtive Pygmy, One of the first Four Lords.”_

“_How am I a descendant of him? So little is known about him that it seems nearly impossible that I could be.”_

“_Your father’s bloodline can be traced back to him directly and is the only known bloodline that can be perfectly traced that way. It was why that, when you were born, that your father and I kept you moving back and forth between Astora and Carim. We knew that if Gwyn ever managed to get a hold of you, you would suffer greatly or even be outright killed.”_

“_But...I’m supposed to be the “Chosen Undead”...why would I have suffered?”_

“_Because Gwyn cares little for humanity unless they worship him and the other gods. But because of your dragon heritage you would have been seen as a threat and the one thing he despises the most beyond humans are all of dragon-kind, kin or true dragons alike. __A being who has the bloodlines of both? You would have been a true threat to his reign and thus would have either been disposed of or made into a lowly servant.” _

“_I...still don’t understand...”_

“_It will make sense with time child. For now though you have a choice to make.”_

“_A...a choice?” _

“_Indeed. Your friend Xiana is battling the one named Calemund as we speak but she is slowly losing that fight. I can give you the power to temporarily become a true dragon so you can end Calemund’s madness but it will come with a cost.”_

_Thalia felt her heart clench, “I don’t care. Xiana is like a sister to me! I will pay whatever toll is needed!” Thalia nearly cried out as her grandmother smiled. _

“_Very well, but remember this temporary form does come with a cost what the price is will be revealed when you awaken after using this new form….”_

_With a flash of blinding light that forced Thalia to close her eyes, she felt an odd sensation overwhelm her as she felt herself awaken._

***

Thalia awoke to see Xiana being flung away from Calemund and snarled as she barely noted white flakes of something beginning to fall towards the ground. “You’re madness ends here, Calemund!” She snarled before suddenly raising her head skyward, parting her jaws and ROARING with all her might causing everyone who was coming or watching what was happening to stop in their tracks.

“What was that?” Solaire asked as he and Lautrec stopped in their tracks to look around in confusion.

“That sounded like a dragon!” Lautrec wondered as he and Solaire looked to each other before a stronger more powerful roar sounded causing their gazes to look skyward with jaws dropping.

As Solaire and Lautrec watched with amazement, in another area Wuldric and Ornstein, who he had somehow managed to find and bring to this area in case the Dragon Slayer was needed, stopped upon a cliff overlooking the area where Thalia, Calemund and Xiana (who was now laying upon the ground some distance away from Calemund) both with surprised looks upon their faces as a strange almost foggy form appeared in the suddenly dark grey almost black sky. “That’s...” Wuldric could barely believe what he was seeing.

“The Dragon God of the Ancient Dragons!” Ornstein gasped as he watched what was about to happen unfold.

Calemund looked up towards the sky with jaw having dropped in pure shock and awe, “Impossible!” He looked towards Thalia with shock before noticing that she was slightly shaking as she forced herself to remain standing while the ghostly form of the ancient dragon god roared before folding his wings inward and vanishing into a streak of light that soon surrounded Thalia, blinding nearly everyone before fading away to reveal Thalia’s new dragon form (Which of course caused Ornstein’s jaw to drop). “That can’t be!”

“Thalia?” Xiana said as Thalia’s new form’s wings spread wide as her eyes opened to reveal their unusual dark-blue color. The hide and scales of this form matched her eyes and all around she looked like a true dragon despite the fact that she looked like she was better equipped to stand on her two back legs then most “True” dragons. Xiana noted just how much like a dragon Thalia was now and it worried her. “She did it… she’s a true dragon...” But unlike most dragons, Thalia only had one pair of wings but something told Xiana that Thalia wasn’t likely to go flying anytime soon.

Lautrec and Solaire had finally reached the area where “Holy shit...” was the only thing that escaped Lautrec’s mouth as both he and Solaire came to a stop upon seeing Thalia’s new form.

“Is that...Thalia?” Solaire inquired before noting Xiana still lying on the ground before returning his attention back to Thalia as she reared her head back, wings spreading wide, as she parted her jaws once more and roared before lowering her head with mouth having closed again.

Thalia looked to Calemund who suddenly seemed to realize that _**HE**_ was the target of her sudden fury and tried to call out to her, _**“THALIA WAIT! SISTER PLEASE!”**_

_There is no mercy for those who lose themselves to madness, _Thalia snarled as she lifted her head back, parted her jaws and gathered flames within her maw. Before she unleashed the flames, however, Thalia spread one wing wide and swiftly covered Xiana to protect her as Thalia released the blast of dragon fire which soon engulfed Calemund.

“_**THALIA HE’S DEAD! THAT’S ENOUGH!”**_ Lautrec hollered out as Thalia ended the fire, pulled her wing away from Xiana and collapsed into unconsciousness as the dragon form disappeared to reveal her as a human once more. Racing up to her, Lautrec checked her over while Solaire went to aid Xiana.

“Are you alright Xiana?” Solaire asked as Xiana nodded.

“I’ll be fine, but we should all probably get somewhere safe. Whatever that thing was…whatever it was that Thalia called too, it likely attracted unwanted attention and if it didn’t grab the attention of the creatures, it could have very well attracted the attention of the Dragon Slayer and I doubt he’s one for talking out what was just witnessed and...” Xiana looked towards Thalia who Lautrec had hoisted up into his arms. “Her face! What’s on her face?!”

“We can figure that out later.” Lautrec frowned as he looked towards Thalia’s face to see an unusual marking that ran from just below her left eye down to the middle of her cheek in a strange triangular shape with the tip of it pointing down, but he also noted that her hair had somehow also changed colors from its once dark blonde to the dark blue that was common for those of Carim. “Right now let’s get out of here while we can.” With that the four left that area immediately without realizing that Ornstein and Wuldric were still watching with Wuldric having removed his helm revealing that he had dark almost ebony colored blue hair and golden eyes.

“I never would have believed it if I hadn’t seen it for myself,” Ornstein smirked as he watched the small group leave.

“I just wish she hadn’t asked me to leave her like she had. I could have protected her for a little longer.” Wuldric rubbed his face as Ornstein turned his gaze towards the Silver Knight.

“Don’t feel too bad Wuldric, you managed to protect her for as long as possible before she sent you away.”

“Still Sir…”

“You’ll get your chance Wuldric, I know she’s your sister and that you are her eldest brother, but give it some more time. You two will be properly reunited soon.” Wuldric looked towards Ornstein who nodded, “Head back to Anor Londo and get some rest.

“Yes Sir,” Wuldric nodded before saluting the Dragon Slayer and walking away while Ornstein turned back towards where Lautrec, Solaire, Xiana and the unconscious Thalia had disappeared to.

_A child of the Dragon’s blood who is also a descendant of the Furtive Pygmy. What was the reason that Lord Gwyn had Seath the Scaleless tracking the bloodlines of? Was it out of fear of what she could do or become? Or is there something more to the story?_ Ornstein wondered as his gaze turned towards the sun. _I pray that for whatever reason you had her watched carefully while she grew up was worth it my Lord._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes you read all of that right. Thalia's eldest brother has finally appeared. I wasn't planning for him to appear until a much later chapter but he wanted to appear now. No that dragon form that Thalia used is NOT permanent it was a one time use only but her physical human form appearance change is and yes there are secrets surrounding Thalia and no she hasn't exactly been speaking the truth to everyone. If you all want to post a few theories in the comments section below you are more then welcome, I won't say if they are completely right or wrong but if you get something then I will give a slight "hint" in response.


	19. Eighteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Planned for this chapter to be longer but I have a small thing to say that will be in the end notes of this chapter. This chapter is a ”Memory” chapter that explores a piece of Thalia’s past. Let me know what theories you have as of to why the ”Snatchers” aka the Channelers and Silver Knights would be looking for Thalia so long ago

_Thalia stood looking skyward at the ashen colored clouds as light, yet fluffy, flakes of snow leisurely floated down from the skies to blanket the ground beneath her feet. _ _While it wasn’t uncommon for her to see such a sight, she still found it amazing to watch. “Thalia?” A voice spoke up as Thalia turned from watching the falling snow to looking towards her dear friend who she had been traveling with for nearly a year now. _

“_Yes Xiana?” _

“_We are almost to Carim, are you SURE you want to do this? If one of those knights recognizes you...”_

“_Don’t worry about me too much Xiana,” Thalia spoke swiftly in the attempt to put her friend’s worry to rest. “We aren’t going to strike until midnight, and with the cloud cover to add us, it would take a lot for one of them to recognize m__e. Besides,” Thalia moved away from where she was standing to sit near the campfire that her friend had made from broken branches, twigs and anything else that they could find that was dry. Granted they had to keep it smaller then usual to keep from alerting anyone to their presence __(despite the fact that they were camped out in a cave) __which also meant that little warmth could be taken from it, yet somehow the two managed to keep warm this freezing winter night. “I have faith in our abilities to get in and get out before anyone notices we are there.”_

“_Still though. I can’t help but worry. You’ve been gone from Astora and Carim for a few years now. Last I heard, your father still has people out looking for you.”_

“_He can look all he wants, I’m not going back.”_

“_You say that now, but I know you better then that Thalia.”_

_Thalia grew quiet as she looked into the fire, “Perhaps one day I will return to him then, but for now I won’t,”_

_Xiana sighed before shaking her head, she knew a losing battle when she saw one when it came to Thalia and so stood to rummage through her sack for something to eat. “We will need to go hunting soon, running low on rations.” she commented more to herself then to Thalia but Thalia still looked over towards her and smirked. _

“_There’s a l__arge stream__ nearby with some fish.”_

“_How are there fish __**THIS**__ time of year?”_

“_You’d be surprised,” __Thalia smiled now, “some of my fondest memories with my grandmother often involved the two of us fishing during the winter. There’s a special breed of fish that can survive the icy waters of the streams and rivers even in the dead of winter but they are only found in and around the areas of Carim.”_

“_What kind of fish would that be?”_

“_I don’t know, I never asked my grandmother what the name of the fish was, I just know that she told me that it was a good kind of fish to eat and is the best to eat in wintry areas as they provide something beneficial for animals and humans alike.” _

“_Where would I find the stream?”_

“_I can go, you stay here and tend to the fire,” Thalia stood and began to head towards the entrance to the cave. _

“_Be careful Thalia, who can say what’s out there during the night time hours.”_

“_It won’t take me long to catch the fish, plus I know a few tricks, both for catching the fish __**AND**__ for hiding in the snow in case something or someone should come peeking around.” Thalia promised as she smiled as she looked to her friend upon stopping. _

“_Still.” _

“_I promise, I will be fine.” With that Thalia left the cave and began to make her way towards the stream she had spotted earlier in the day. _

_A__s she cautiously made her way through the dark and snowy landscape, Thalia made sure to leave little signs that only she would catch that would lead her back to the cave. Continuing towards the stream, Thalia was almost there when the sounds of voices caught her attention and she paused to listen but due to the freshly fallen (and still falling) snow, Thalia couldn’t exactly make out what the voices where saying and it bothered her a bit. _I know investigating it wouldn’t exactly be smart, but if if whoever is speaking presences a threat to Xiana and I, I need to know so I can tell her. _Thalia frowned as she thought of the best way to get nearer to whoever the voices belonged to and soon settled for slowly moving forward until she was close enough to see and hear whoever it was that was speaking, but also remained far enough away that she could easily make a break for it if one of those voices decided to head her way. _An elite knight of Astora and a knight of Carim? What are they doing out here? _Thalia wondered upon spotting the two that were speaking. Looking around Thalia looked up into the tree near her and smiled. _That works. _With that thought, she leapt up into the tree and climbed as high as she dared before laying down on her belly to listen into the conversation of the two knights._

“_...__So why is he so bent on finding her?” the Astorian knight inquired as the one from Carim shook his head. _

“_All I know is that she is his only daughter, and that he is trying to keep her out of the attentions of the Gods themselves.”_

“_Then wouldn’t her disappearance be a good thing? No one can really track her this way and from what I understand anyone whose tried has always failed because she moves so quickly.”_

“_Yes and no. There’s another reason she needs to be found. Rumors have it that the Snatchers are also out and about looking for her.”_

“_The Snatchers are looking for her too?” _

“_Indeed.” The Carim Knight nodded again. “Several weeks ago a few were spotted snooping around Lady Hendina’s estate but since Lady Hendina is no longer with us, may she rest peacefully, and that Thalia is now the estate’s only owner, it is believed that the Snatchers are looking everywhere for the young woman.” _

Shit! Grandmother warned me about the Snatchers… if they are searching for me then I’ve put Xiana in danger as well by her just being associated with me. _Thalia frowned as she continued to listen into the conversation._

“_Y__ou don’t think they will find her do you?”_

“_Not if we can help it, but we need to be cautious as well. A group of five Silver Knights was also spotted recently near the estate and we know for a fact that they _**are**_ looking for Lady Hendina’s granddaughter.” _

“_Why are they looking for her?”_

“_I can’t say exactly, the servant that was spoken to explained that they questioned them on Thalia’s location and where she possibly went to before leaving to continue their search. When it was inquired as of to why the Silver Knights could be searching for Thalia, all that was given in response was something about claiming that one of the gods had commanded them to find her and take her to Lordran where she would be “safer” __then what she was out in the world__.” _

Silver Knights are looking for me too? _Thalia wondered before frowning, _What could they want with me? I don’t buy into that story of their gods wanting to keep me safe at all. Unless… _Thalia looked away for a moment… _Is that where you went brother? Did you become a Silver Knight? Is that why they are looking for me? _But some little voice in her mind told her that that likely wasn’t possible at all. Looking back towards the two knights, Thalia watched as they put out their fire and continued on their way as they agreed to continue their search. Once Thalia was completely sure they were gone, she carefully stood and leapt down out of the tree. Before heading back the direction she came from and heading back towards the stream to catch some fish for her and Xiana. After spending some time and catching several large and fat fish, Thalia headed back towards the cave where Xiana and her were camped out in but her mind continued to travel back to what the two knights had discussed and she could help but be saddened by what she had discovered through them. _The Snatchers and Silver Knights are looking for me...and Xiana is traveling with me...I’ve put her in harms way. _Thalia sighed but eventually made it back to the cave where Xiana was waiting, in the dark no less. “Xiana?”_

“_SHUSH!” Xiana hissed under her breath as Thalia frowned and made her way cautiously towards the woman. _

“_Why are you sitting in the dark?”_

“_I had to put the fire out as a group of Silver Knights passed by while you were gone.”_

“_What?”_

“_Yes,” Xiana nodded, “the only reason I know is because I heard them talking about you as they drew close. I doused the flames and hid in the darker parts of the cave. Apparently it was enough to th__r__ow them them off but I have a feeling they will be coming back soon.”_

“_Then lets not worry about relighting the fire. I have the fish but we need to move if you think they will come back.”_

“_Agreed. Once we are in a safer spot, we can tend to the fish and eat.” With that Thalia and __Xiana left that cave and headed to find a safer spot as swiftly as they could._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now as for what I have to say or well more like ask: How would you all feel if I said that I am thinking of working on a story that features the main character (aka chosen undead or Ashen One) as an adopted child of Knight Artorias that takes place before the events of the games? It may be out at the same time as I work on another story that I have promised to try my hand at which is a requested story (Male Chosen Undead/Crossbreed Priscilla) which is out of my area of expertise (aka I can’t really write a male main character to save my life but I will try).
> 
> If the idea of Artorias having an adopted child is well like and you all would like to see one like it I may even open a thing for a few characters of your guys creation but I will only take submissions of characters on Discord so please DON’T be shy. My discord is meant to be a safe place for us to gather and have fun as we rest and refill our Estus flasks before heading back out into the world to tangle with the bosses once more. There is an invite to my discord on my profile page so make sure to join up if you want a character to feature in the story.


	20. Nineteen

Thalia groaned as the world (and her senses) slowly came back to her. Opening her eyes, it took several moments for her to recognize the plain wood ceiling above her but it took less time for her to recognize the sound of someone breathing softly near the bed that she felt under her. Giving herself a moment to regain everything to do with her senses, Thalia eventually turned her head enough for her gaze to land upon the familiar form of Solaire, sitting in a chair near her bed, head hanging as his soft breath escaped him as he slept deeply but as she studied him carefully she noticed that his helm, which he always wore was resting beside him upon the end table and she smiled softly before a sudden pain ripped through her causing her to hiss, which, in turn, caused Solaire to awaken at the sound of motion and the hiss coming from Thalia. ”_**THALIA**_!” He called out as he realized that she was awake and that he hadn’t been imagining the sound. Nearly leaping from his chair, Solaire was immediately to her side and gently placed a hand upon her shoulder while the other rested upon her stomach. ”Easy...” he spoke as Thalia let out the smallest of whimpers. Pulling his hand away from her stomach, Solaire turned slightly to the open door and called out, ”_XIANA! LAUTREC! THALIA’S AWAKE!_” the sound of two pairs of boots came racing as Xiana and Lautrec came to see what the commotion was about but when they entered the room to see Thalia grimacing in pain. 

”Thalia!” Xiana nearly cried as she went over to the bed and studied her long-time friend. ”Solaire move, I need to check her over to see if I can’t find the source of her pain.” Turning, Xiana looked at Lautrec who was watching her, ”Lautrec, I know this might be too much for you to even think of but down in the kitchen there is some stew I made, get some for Thalia would you?” 

”It’s not too much for me to think about. I owe Thalia more then you could ever know, I’ve known her much longer then you have.” Lautrec responded as he turned and left, leaving both Solaire and Xiana confused. 

”What did he mean by that?” Solaire asked as Xiana shrugged. 

”Lautrec and I have known each other since we were teens.” Thalia managed as the pain finally began to subside.

”Wait what?” Xiana frowned as she turned to begin using a healing miracle to ease what pain was leftover from Thalia’s earlier spike of pain. 

”Lautrec and I met in Carim and have known each other for years.” Thalia nodded to confirm what she spoke. Solaire studied her for a moment, he wasn’t sure why but a sudden overwhelming jealousy crept up upon him and Thalia seemed to sense it. ”Xiana, can I have a moment alone with Solaire?” 

Xiana frowned but with a glance at the suddenly quiet Solaire, she understood and smiled, ”Alright, I need to speak with Lautrec in private anyway. I want to know how, and when, he met you.” With that Xiana went to hunt down Lautrec while Thalia turned to Solaire. 

”Solaire? Are you alright?” Thalia inquired softly after Xiana left the room. 

Solaire turned to look at Thalia and frowned. ”I’m fine, it's you I’m more worried about.” 

”Solaire.”

Solaire sighed as he carefully sat upon the bed and turned to face her with one leg pulled up onto the bed with his foot hanging off the edge. ”I _**AM**_ worried about you that part is true,” He lifted a hand to rest it upon her cheek as she involuntarily leaned into it. ”Between Seath and then your fight with Calemund I am sure you are in a great amount of pain.” 

”That’s an understatement,” Thalia muttered as Solaire chuckled quietly. 

”But for a reason I can’t fully understand, when you told us that you and Lautrec have known each other for years, something came over me.” 

”It might have been Jealousy and that is normal,” Thalia told him, before she pulled away from his hand which fell to rest upon the blankets as confusion swept over her. ”But why are you jealous? There’s no reason for you to be that I know of unless-!” Solaire didn’t give her half the chance to finish that thought as he leaned towards her after placing his hand under her chin and claimed her lips in a kiss so gentle it took her by complete surprise. It took her a few moments to comprehend what happened but she was already returning the kiss.

Of course, due to her injuries, Solaire was extra careful with the kiss and when he pulled away he watched as the sunlight graced her face and smiled. She was like a long-forgotten yet still very gorgeous goddess and something in him wanted to take her into his possession and to worship her like the goddess he saw her as, to show her that she was deserving of the attention he wanted to give to her. Her now dark blue hair lightened a shade in the sunlight and her eyes turned near sky-blue. The marking on the left side of her face, however, was different then what it had originally been when Lautrec had carried her into the room. Instead of pointing down and being just under her eye it now looked more like a scar with how it long and large it was. Reaching up he touched her new marking and frowned. ”It’s changed.” 

”What has?” 

”You have a marking over your left eye that looks like it should be a scar, well outside of it being a bluish-purple.” 

Thalia wondered about it but didn’t question it for the moment. ”What else changed?” 

”You hair. It’s no longer that beautiful dark blonde.” 

”It’s not?” 

Solaire shook his head, ”It’s the dark blue of those from Carim.” 

_Well my grandma did say there would be a price for whatever I used to save Xiana. But physical changes? I’ve never heard of anything like that._

”Thalia?” 

”Sorry, I was just lost in thought for a moment.” She apologized as she returned her attention towards him. 

”You do that a lot, I’ve noticed.” 

”Yeah. Ever since my grandma’s death, I just haven’t been who I used to be.”

”What were you like before she died?”

”That’s hard for me to say. I’ve tried to forget that life especially with the life I lead after...” Thalia turned her gaze to the window as Xiana came back into the room with Lautrec close behind. 

”I remember how you were when we first met, Thalia. You were so closed off and unwilling to talk.” 

”Didn’t take you long to pester your way into my company though,” Thalia responded as she turned her gaze towards Xiana who smirked as the other woman handed her a bowl before handing the other to Solaire who took it carefully. 

”You and I are the same kind, Thalia. Wither we like it or not, Xiana turned to Lautrec who, in turn, handed her a bowl before motioning for her to sit in the chair which she did after giving him a look as he raised a brow. 

”Maybe.” Thalia replied as Xiana smirked, ”But I was never a scholar.” 

”No you weren’t, but I am but we are both wandering souls who ended up thieving for a living.” 

Thalia flinched at that. ”Thieving is such a cruel word.” 

”Oh that's right, it wasn’t thieving.” 

”YOU were the thief. I was the one out hunting most of the damned time.” 

”Hunting, fishing or whatever was needed.” 

Solaire and Lautrec listened to the two women before Lautrec spoke up. ”You love her?” His question was directed towards Solaire who turned to him. 

”Thalia?” Solaire inquired as his figurative hackles raised as Thalia reached out to place her hand over his arm.

”She's the only one here who you have the infatuation with that I see.” 

”Lautrec don’t-!” Lautrec held up a hand to force Thalia to quiet. 

”Let me say my piece, Thalia.” Lautrec told her as she quieted with a frown. ”Do you?” he looked towards Solaire who kept Thalia’s hand on his arm in mind.

”I do,” Solaire responded as Lautrec studied him. 

”Then make sure you take care of her.” Lautrec looked to Thalia, ”Thalia, you need to remember those of us from Carim need to look out for each other. You may not be a blood relative to me, but you are still from Carim and I will care for you until my dying breath.” 

”We are blood-related Lautrec, my grandfather on my mother’s side was your grandfather too.” 

”_**WHAT?!**_” two voices that did not belong to either Thalia nor Lautrec inquired.


	21. Twenty

Thalia stood at the window in her room and watched as the rain came down upon the world outside of the inn. While it didn’t surprise her that it was raining, it did please her to see that even the lands of the Lords received rain like the rest of the world. ”Thalia? Are you alright?” a familiar voice spoke up as Thalia turned her gaze to see Lautrec come walking in, with his helm removed. 

”I’m fine, or I will be here after a while,” She sighed as she returned to looking back out the window. 

Lautrec said nothing as he finished walking up to stand next to her. ”Do you miss it? Carim, I mean?” 

”Sometimes. Sometimes I find myself kicking myself for just leaving it like I did.” 

”You had no choice, I can’t imagine being hunted all over the world by Silver Knights _**AND**_ Channelers to be easy.” 

”It wasn’t. All I ever wanted out of life was to finally be able to call someplace home. To never have to worry about leaving it behind because everyone under the sun decided to hunt me down like a mad animal. But with this whole...” 

”Chosen Undead shit?” 

Thalia nodded, ”Yeah...” Thalia felt a pang of sorrow. ”With me being the Chosen Undead, I don’t think I will ever find a place to call home now.” 

Lautrec studied Thalia for several moments, ”Normally I would never be caught saying this but I’m sorry you have to suffer so much.” 

”Don’t be sorry. There’s nothing you could do for it anyway. I just have to accept my fate and move on while hoping that I will find peace in the end.” Thalia sighed and Lautrec noted just how wearily she was now that her guard was down. He could almost see how tired she was written on her face and in the way her shoulders drooped along with how her body itself seemed ready to collapse at any moment. She was tired, but it was the form of tired that could not be cured with sleep or simple breaks at the bonfire. No, this was a tiredness that only death could cure and Lautrec felt worry overcome him for a brief moment. 

”You're tired of everything?” 

”Have been for a while now,” Thalia sighed. ”All the time I spent on the run is finally starting to really catch up to me.” 

”I can tell.” For a moment, both fell silent to listen to the rain and Thalia closed her eyes to rest her head on the wall. ”Why did you tell them that we are related?” 

”Why should I hide it? You _ARE_ my cousin even if it's on my mother’s side.” 

”But to say that in front of Xiana and Solaire?” 

”Better they find out now than when it's too late.” Lautrec could not argue with that point.

”Did you see the Silver Knight who was watching from the cliff?” 

”Wuldric? I saw him when he and Calemund battled.” 

”You know who he actually is right?” 

”I do.” Thalia glanced at Lautrec from the corner of her eyes while keeping her face turned towards the window. “He’s my eldest brother but he’s a Silver Knight now.” 

”Do you really think that will stop him?” 

Thalia returned her gaze towards the rainy outside world. ”No. It won’t.” after that Lautrec and Thalia fell into a mostly comfortable silence as they watched the rain fall.

****

Several days later found Thalia back on the trail of fetching the most powerful souls in Lordran. Since she had fallen behind her original schedule of gathering the last two needed Souls due to the fight with Calemund, Thalia knew she would have much catching up to do. This time though, she was traveling down underground once more and was working her way through skeletons and necromancers (the very thought of the beings even _**EXISTING**_ sending shivers down her spine) but as she wound her way through the tunnels and other areas of this unusual place, she frowned as she stopped and looked around. She could _**FEEL**_ two separate pairs of eyes watching her and it made her wonder who, besides she herself, would be bat-shit insane enough to come down into this unholy place. As she looked around though, she noted something glinting in the distance and frowned as she squinted. Thanks to that odd transformation she had gone through, Thalia could rightly say that her eyesight was now just strong enough to pick up even the faintest of motion or light and while that alone confused her, she was also grateful for it. Especially when what she had just spotted came rushing at her as she realized **_EXACTLY_** what it was. _A Black Knight_. "Fuck me sideways," Thalia snarled as she looked from the Black Knight to the area around her. _This is a really **BAD **spot to be fighting him in._ She noted as she saw the drop off on her right and the wall on her left. _Maybe I can lure him back to a more secure-**SHIT!** _Thalia bare, just barely, managed to leap back out of the way as the weapon of the Black Knight came down upon the area she had just recently been standing in. She watched as the Knight lifted his weapon, and felt a shiver run along her spine. The weapon that had almost smashed her into the ground was a halberd, or rather it was a glaive that was often mistaken for a halberd, and that was **_NOT_** a weapon she wanted to tangle with especially with its long reach. _Shit. Shit. Shit. This is a really bad place to fight a black knight. I HAVE to lure him to a better place to fight him. _The Knight came after her again and she turned and leapt away as his weapon swung out to hit her again. "Ain't happening ass." Thalia snarled at him as she felt the Knights eyes focus on her and she nearly froze. _His gaze...why does it cause me to freeze up like this? It feels familiar...like...like I knew him once. _Thalia wasn't exactly sure _WHAT_ it was about this particular Knight that was causing her to freeze up like a deer caught in some light but she suddenly no longer wanted to fight this Black Knight. Normally she did try to avoid attacking ANY of the Black Knights, with only one having been the exception as she had somehow and unknowingly freed him from his haze of anger by pure accident (Which had confused the shit out of both Thalia and the Knight but it had earned her a friend in the Knight). As the Knight before her prepared to rush towards her, Thalia found herself seemingly unable to move and fear was gripping her heart in a death-choke, but just as suddenly as the Knights weapon came flying at her as he was doing a jump attack, Thalia felt something or someone grab the back of her outfit and yank her back out of the way of the glaive as it slammed down with a vengeance causing sparks to go flying. Hitting the ground with an "omfp", Thalia looked up and saw a familiar looking Silver Knight having pulled her back. "Wuldric?!"

"Good to see you too, Chosen, but we can catch up **_AFTER_** I make sure that you are safe," Wuldric frowned as he turned to face off against the Black Knight. "Brother! Come to your senses! This woman is the one who is to succeed our Lord Gwyn!" But the Black Knight didn't seem to hear him and attacked Wuldric who defended himself with his shield. "Very well," He sighed after parrying the weapon. "If you will not listen, then your time has come." With a sudden thrust of his own weapon, Wuldric's sword bit deep into the Black Knight who cried out in pain before Wuldric turned him towards the cliff edge and kicked the other knight off his sword and down into the depths of the darkness where the black knight died. "It is sorrowful to have to put an end to a brother that I once knew." Wuldric sighed before turning to look at Thalia, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, but..." Thalia looked Wuldric over. "It really is you...You're a Silver Knight now just like I thought..."

Wuldric nodded, "I have been for many years." 

"Then why are you here and not in Anor Londo with the rest of the Silver Knights?"

"Because I've been looking for you."

"For how long?"

"Several years now. I started my search for you originally when I heard about..." He looked away. While it was difficult for Thalia to speak of their grandmother it was seeming also just as hard for him. "When I heard that grandmother was killed, I knew I had to find you as soon as possible." Wuldric motioned for them to begin walking and she followed him closely. "I asked permission from Lord Gwyn to begin my search and he agreed but also sent along several of my brothers with me."

"Wait! You were the Silver Knight asking around for me?"

"Indeed. I...well**_ WE_**... were meant to take you back to Anor Londo where you could be kept safe. But sister..." Wuldric turned his gaze towards her as they found a bonfire which she was swift to light. "There is something you must know."

"What is that?" Thalia inquired as Wuldric spoke once more.

"It's about your father and your not going to like what I'm about to tell you..." What Wuldric spoke of next caused Thalia to gasp and she felt her heart pause in its beats.


	22. Twenty-one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff. Lots of brotherly-sisterly Fluff. Along with the explanation of Wuldric's true nature and relationship with Thalia and special mentions (and an appearance) of one the characters from the _Dark Souls: Age of Fire_ comics (Leave me alone! Arkon was a pretty cool character and he deserved a better ending!)

Thalia took a moment to process what Wuldric said as he watched her carefully, "So he didn't die the way Eluric told me he had..."

"No, he did not. Your father was in-fact murdered by your step-mother." Wuldric watched Thalia extra carefully now. While he hadn't been around her for her entire life, he could still say that he knew her temper well and wasn't at all surprised to watch as her eyes closed to hide the burning fury that resided within them.

Thalia, for her part, was actually beyond furious now. "I knew there was a reason why I hated that damned woman so much." 

"You weren't the only one. I greatly disapproved of your father marrying her but at the time you needed a mother figure," Wuldric sighed before looking back at Thalia who frowned as she returned her gaze to him.

"She's just lucky I _**CAN'T**_ go hunting her down but...now I do wonder..."

"About what?"

"Well...this might be oddly sudden but...You speak of father as if he weren't your own."

"It's not odd to wonder about that at all. I was actually prepared to explain it to you when you were ready to ask." Wuldric smiled as Thalia watched him with curiosity. "Like you have known nothing more then being human your whole life, I have known nothing more then being a Silver Knight my entire life."

"So that means..."

"That I am not actually your brother? Yes." Wuldric wondered how she was taking _**THAT**_ news but it seemed to him that Thalia didn't care.

"Just how long have you been alive?"

Wuldric forced back a laugh now, "I've been alive a lot longer then you would expect. But, in all my years of living, not one of them has been as entertaining, or frustrating, then when your mother well..." 

"Adopted?"

"In a sense but yes. When you mother adopted me into her family, along with your grandmother, I began to wonder about my purpose and then when you were born, I knew I had a purpose once more." Wuldric shook his head then, "Though I will admit that there is a part of me that wishes you had made finding you a bit easier after grandmother passed."

Thalia gave a nervous giggle then, "Sorry... but I couldn't make it too easy especially not with the Channelers hunting for me."

Wuldric **_almost_** growled at the mention of the Channels, "I know, sister, but I must also admit that when word reached me of the Channelers preparing to leave the Archives to find you I was not pleased at all."

"Is that why you began your own hunt to try and find me?"

"Partially," Wuldric nodded, "As I stated earlier, I was also looking for you to bring you to Anor Londo where you could be kept safe. Where **_I_** could keep you safe."

"Well I really messed up that plan of yours didn't I? If I had known that it was you looking for me, I would have-"

"What you did was the right thing," Wuldric interrupted her. "You kept yourself on the move and covered your tracks thoroughly, thus it made it harder to discover your exact location which kept you safe from the Channelers."

"And hid me from you too apparently."

"And hid you from me as well but I would expect nothing less from a huntress."

Thalia was shocked at that and Wuldric smiled, "You know?"

"I've always known. From the day you disappeared I knew. Besides, huntresses like you are always on the move and you are no exception to that rule, that and you've always been restless which is no surprise either as it gives you an advantage over many people, immortal or mortal."

"How does my restlessness give me an advantage?"

"You can't be caught as easily as say I or my brother knights or anyone who is more focused on close combat." 

"You wouldn't think that from the hundreds of times I've died and come back..." Thalia scowled as she looked away. 

"Oh I still think that, besides I watched your battles since you've arrived, especially the ones with the invaders from other worlds in Anor Londo."

"I just used my bow and arrows and hid like a coward."

"It wasn't hiding like a coward, it was actually a good strategy on your part. Many of them would have ended your life if you hadn't thought of using the shadows **_AND_** the area around you to your advantage."

"You say that like it was the most entertaining thing in the world to you."

"It was," Wuldric smiled as he remembered the conversations he and his fellow Silver Knights had had after watching her snipe her enemies. "In fact it had all of us Silver Knights talking but one of my brother knights did say that if we ever met you personally to suggest you take up the use of daggers instead of sword and shield."

"Daggers?"

"For your use. Daggers would suit you much better and would allow you to continue using your advantage of speed."

"I'm still lost."

Wuldric smiled, "It will make more sense within ti-!" Wuldric stopped and flung his shield out to stop a sudden unexpected blade from crashing down upon him just as the bonfire seemingly fizzled out. 

"Wuldric!"

"Stay back, Thalia!" Wuldric snarled as he turned to slash outwards with his sword, forcing his darker counterpart (whom Thalia recognized almost immediately by the darker knight's weapon) to leap back with his own snarl.

"Wuldric stop! That's Arkon!" Thalia called out before the two could clash once more.

"Arkon?" Wuldric pulled away as the dark knight stopped as well and looked to his silver counterpart in confusion as well.

"Wuldric?" the Black Knight inquired as Wuldric nodded. "What are you doing down here?"

"I could ask the same of you, but I am here because of Thalia. She is a younger sister to me and thus I will protect her as an elder brother should."

"I came to this place because I was looking for Thalia."

_"I'm right here you know..."_ Thalia muttered with unamusement before a sudden dreadful feeling sent a shiver down her spine and settled in her stomach. "Oh for fuck's sake!" She snarled as she turned from the bonfire to scan around. 

"Thalia?"

"Sister?" 

Both Knights asked in curiosity but Thalia ignored them in favor of scanning around the area to look for the reason behind this dark feeling. "There you are!" She said upon spotting the reason behind her overwhelming sense of dread. As soon as she had spotted him she reached to where her bow rested and quickly pulled it off her back and prepared an arrow but as she began to move away, both Knights turned to look in the direction she was looking and Wuldric frowned. 

"Of course there would be one..." he frowned before looking to the one named Arkon. "Hope it doesn't bother you too much to aid my sister with this invader."

"Nay, it won't, but...where did Thalia go?"

Wuldric looked around then just as Arkon did. "I..." Checking all around, Wuldric eventually sighed with frustration. "Not again..." With that both Wuldric and Arkon left the bonfire area to see if they couldn't find Thalia as well as keep an eye on the location of the invader. 

***

Thalia barely managed to dodge a swipe of the red invader's sword and let out an almost inhuman snarl as she slid to a stop. She had (rather stupidly) decided to try and get a backstab on the invader but now found that such things were not in her favor, at least this time it wasn't and now Thalia was locked in melee combat with the invader who barely had a scratch on them while Thalia had a few new nasty wounds upon her person. "You're not going to get me that easily you son of bitch." She growled at the red colored invader who seemingly returned the snarl. 

"Oh I will, after all," The voice was ultimately familiar to Thalia, but from who, Thalia just **_could not_** place. "You really haven't experienced _MY_ form of battle. At least, not yet."

_That voice... if it weren't for the damned mask I would recognize it. I can tell that who I am facing is a female but...dammit! Who the fuck are you?! _"That doesn't matter! Whoever the fuck you are, I will send you back disappointed!" Thalia snarled as she watched for the tell-tale signs of the invader (who was wearing odd armor that she had never before seen that made them look like a skeleton yet also **_NOT_** like a skeleton) preparing to attack again. _I need to get that woman's mask off._

"Oh come now Thalia, do you really not recognize me? Your **_OLD_** friend." The invader asked as she reached up to remove her "helm" just as her world and Thalia's came together and the person revealed under the mask caused Thalia to stop in her tracks.

_No! It can't be!_ Thalia's eyes went wide as the person before her was revealed to be non-other then her long-time friend. A "friend" she had not seen in what was likely either days or months. _**"Saewynn?!"**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I know ANOTHER cliff hanger but next chapter will hopefully be worth it.


	23. Twenty-two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note for soon: Yes Arkon and Wuldric can hear everything Saewynn is saying but what Arkon says about them being "too far away" is also true.

Wuldric and Arkon stood watching, Wuldric with worry and Arkon with anger. _"Saewynn is a servant of the Abyss?!"_ Wuldric asked as Arkon scowled.

"So much for being Thalia's friend," Arkon growled as his eyes flashed red for a moment. Betrayal of friendships was **_NOT_** something Arkon tolerated but he knew that if Saewynn chose that moment to overpower Thalia in her sudden frozen state, neither he nor Wuldric would be able to make it in time to save Thalia from certain death. "As much as I hate saying this Wuldric, but if that traitor decides to overpower Thalia, we won't be able to make it in time to save her."

"I have to try to do **_SOMETHING_** for her, Arkon. She's like a sister to me, I made a promise to her mother to protect her no matter what!"

Arkon looked towards Wuldric sadly, He, better then _anyone,_ knew that a Silver Knight's word was basically their oath. "Even so, we are too far away. We wouldn't reach her in time. We need to think of some-_who was that?!_" Arkon and Wuldric watched as someone completely unfamiliar to them both launched themselves past them just as a yelp sounded causing both knights to turn and see that Saewynn had finally acted and was now pinning Thalia to the ground with her boot.

_**"THALIA!"**_ Wuldric called out but his words fell on deaf ears.

***

Thalia yelped as Saewynn smirked darkly after taking advantage of her sudden stupor. "...You see Thalia, my pact with the darkness, with the Abyss as it were, gives me the strength and abilities you could only **_dream_** of." Saewynn continued to smirk as she kicked Thalia onto her back and placed her boot upon Thalia's throat, effectively pinning Thalia to the ground. "Unfortunately for you, when I made this pact I was given clear instructions to keep my eye on you and ensure that you would take the path of the Dark Lord. A role that is, by your very human nature, yours by all rights considering your linage." Saewynn watched as Thalia struggled against her to no avail. "But when it was discovered that you plan on continuing this dwindling so called Age of Fire as you followed the footsteps of that coward Gwyn, well..." Saewynn laughed now, "Let's just say that my instructions became much, much, clearer. The Age of Dark, the Age of Man, _**MUST**_ come to this and all worlds and because you refuse to take that path, I have to kill you so the actual Dark Lord may rise." Thalia's vision began to blur as Saewynn's voice faded in and out of her hearing. "Don't worry, I'll tell your dear Sunlight Warrior that a horrible accident befell you and that I was too late to save you." Thalia's vision was near completely black now but then just as she danced on the border of completely passing out someone or something full on **_SLAMMED_** into Saewynn, knocking the other woman off of Thalia who looked up as her ability to breath (and see) returned to see that her true best friend Xiana was now standing protectively over her. 

"Just who in the name of the Abyss are you bitch?" Saewynn snarled as she stood from where she had landed. 

"My name is Xiana and I will be damned if I let you kill Thalia!" Xiana snarled in return as Saewynn frowned before giving a dark smile. 

"Well then," Saewynn chuckled, "You're the little bitch who stole Thalia away from her true purpose." Saewynn glanced to Thalia whose torso was lifted up thanks to her arms but the look Thalia had on her face as she looked to Xiana told Saewynn all she needed to know. "Well well. What's this? Thalia actually CARES for you? Then this will make killing you and then her," Saewynn's dark gaze turned back towards Xiana who stood in a ready stance, "all the _**MORE**_ fun."

"Xiana run! She's too powerful!" Thalia tried to warn her closest friend.

"I'm not leaving you, Thalia. I've spent too much time by your side to even **_THINK_** of leaving you now."

_"Xiana..."_

"**_Not. Leaving._**" Xiana growled back as she kept her focus on Saewynn who smirked. 

"Not that I would allow you **_TOO_** leave," Saewynn then rushed towards Xiana and Thalia watched with fear constricting her heart in an icy grasp.

"XIANA!" Thalia called out before witnessing Xiana parry the incoming blade that Saewynn held, taking Saewynn by surprise, before Xiana executed a riposte sending Saewynn down to the ground on her knees before slamming her down onto the ground and ripping her sword out with a vengeance causing Saewynn to gasp before rolling backward and standing on wobbly feet. 

"I told you once before, I will be damned if I let you kill Thalia!" Xiana snarled as she watched Saewynn carefully. 

Saewynn gave a slight snarl. "Then I will kill you first!" Saewynn leapt at Xiana who copied the motion as Thalia watched with worry before closing her eyes as tears stung them.

_Why do I always need to be rescued... Gods I'm so pathetic..._ Suddenly Xiana yelped and Thalia's eyes snapped open in time to see Saewynn reach out with some odd colored light in her left hand which, the moment it collided with Xiana forced Xiana's form to become paralyzed as Saewynn opened her mouth to reveal that her canine teeth were sharp as could be. "_**XIANA NO!**_" Thalia cried out as Saewynn's teeth, or fangs or whatever they were, closed upon Xiana's neck. Watching with horror, Thalia couldn't believe her eyes as Saewynn's wounds closed while Xiana was seemingly drained of life. 

Yanking away Saewynn threw Xiana away and the woman, now weak with bloodloss, barely whimpered as she hit the ground. "I'm not going to outright kill you. I'm going to make you and whoever else is around watch as I slaughter Thalia." Saewynn snarled as Thalia forced herself to stand with her eyes closed.

_Call upon the dragon's blood, child._ A familiar motherly voice told Thalia as Thalia stood with a inhuman snarl as the area all around her began to glow with odd lights that fell to the ground as if it were snow. 

"What in the?" Arkon inquired as he and Wuldric looked around.

"This can't be..." Wuldric frowned. "The last time this happened..." Wuldric's head snapped towards Thalia as Arkon looked towards him in confusion.

"The last time?" Arkon looked towards Wuldric then turned back to where Thalia was as she spoke.

_"I will not let you harm anyone else!"_ Thalia snarled as Saewynn, who was utterly bewildered by the lights, turned her gaze towards Thalia with a brow raised.

_The fuck is she-**HOLY SHIT**! _Saewynn barely managed to stay on her own to feet as a blast of what could only be described as being close to something called Wrath of the Gods damn near knocked her off her feet. The leftover part of the blast itself reached Arkon and Wuldric as well and nearly knocked them down onto the asses but they were more prepared for something like that. But when everyone uncovered their eyes shock greeted them as a brighter light soon faded away from behind Thalia to reveal a dragon behind her. Unlike the Dragon God that had once appeared in the sky, this one looked COMPLETELY different (in fact if Xiana had been awake she would say it looked like Thalia's one time use of a _FULL_ dragon form) and Wuldric almost didn't want to believe his eyes. 

**_"__She really is of the Dragon god's bloodline!"_** Wuldric's shock was clear in his voice and Arkon could barely believe what he, himself, was seeing as the dragon snarled with a slight hiss before wrapping it's wings around Thalia and vanishing in an extremely bright light. 

When the light vanished this time, Thalia was revealed to be not in a dragon form but in a completely different outfit (which was still leathery in appearance) with a pair of daggers never before seen at her side, daggers which she immediately unsheathed as if they were claws and not daggers. "I told you. I will not let you harm anyone else! If you want to fight someone then **_fight me_**!" Thalia nearly roared at Saewynn who unsheathed her own pair of daggers and both women lunged towards each other. 

"What happened to her?!" Arkon couldn't believe what he was witness to but the proof of what had just happened was there in front of him as Thalia and Saewynn danced with their weapons before everything suddenly ended, with Thalia standing victoriously over the now deceased Saewynn.

"The Dragon God's blood, that's what."

"But that was nothing but a story..."

"It's all truth though, Arkon. Thalia is the **_LAST_** direct descendant of the Dragon God's bloodline." Wuldric frowned as he met his Brother Knight's eyes. "That's why I've been so incessant on protecting her at all cost. That and my promise to her mother. Thalia is the _**LAST**_ direct descendant of both the Ancient Dragon God **_AND_** the First Pygmy Lord. She, even though I am going to hate to see this happen to her, is the Chosen Undead. She is following in our Lord Gwyn's footsteps and must head to the Kiln to link the First Flame but only after gathering the Lord Souls that reside around Lordran." 

"But that's..."

"Suicide? I know, but she is intent on seeing this through." Wuldric frowned as Thalia turned to check over Xiana before shaking his head. "Even if it means leaving everyone and everything behind." Wuldric watched as Thalia looked around, "Come on...She need help." With that Wuldric walked towards where Thalia was and she turned her gaze to see him making his approach with Arkon close behind. 

_It's more then just suicide..._Arkon thought as they drew near to where Thalia and Xiana were. _It's something she will never return from... and I don't want to see the effects of that harming you Wuldric..._Arkon glanced at Wuldric and saw himself mirrored within the younger Silver Knight. _I don't want you walking the same path as I did and do..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Lautrec is NOT a descendant of the "Dragon God". The parent that makes him related to Thalia was from another wife of their shared grandfather. A wife who had died BEFORE their grandfather met Thalia's grandmother.


	24. Twenty-three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MORE BROTHERLY-SISTERLY FLUFF!!!! because you need more fluff before this story eventually comes to a close (yes we are drawing near to the end of this story but its still quit aways away)

"So...let me get this straight," Xiana was awake now and feeling better but was greatly confused at the presence of both a Silver Knight and a Black Knight as the two stood opposite her and Thalia at the bonfire. "You're not **_ACTUALLY_** related to Thalia in anyway shape or form other then her mother, in a sense of the word, adopting you?" She watched as the Silver Knight, Wuldric, nodded. "And Thalia somehow managed to knock some sense back into you at the Undead Asylum when she went back to visit it?" Xiana turned to look at Arkon who nodded as well before she turned her gaze to Thalia who was smiling at her as she continued to bandage what wounds **_WOULDN'T_** be closed by the soothing smoke of the bonfire. 

"I know, I make friends in odd places."

"Was about to say, but a Silver Knight for an eldest brother?"

"That one was not up to me, besides I'd rather have a Silver Knight for an eldest brother then..." Thalia went quiet for a moment and Xiana flinched before Thalia shook her head. "I'm honestly not to worried about it. At least I know I can trust my only remaining brother to _**NOT**_ stab me in the back like the other two idiots did."

_**THAT**_ caught Wuldric's attention. "What happened to Eluric?"

Thalia didn't speak for a moment, "He was the reason I became undead in the first place. **_HE_** caused this damned curse to fall upon me." Thalia could nearly sense Wuldric's figurative hackle rising, she could go so far as to say she sensed the same thing from Arkon. "Before you go on a wild manhunt, he's dead now and has been for sometime." 

"How did he die?" Wuldric inquired with a semi-level voice but everyone could tell that it was forced.

"He was afflicted with the curse himself and came here to tell me of father's death." Thalia explained as she finished tending to Xiana's wounds.

"Bastard got off easy then," Xiana huffed upon hearing what Thalia was saying. 

"Lautrec still killed him in the end."

"Well that's a bit more then what he deserved if you ask me, but he should have been left to rot." 

"Did Lautrec not tell you that Eluric advanced to the point of no return?"

"No he didn't but still."

"You are overly protective today."

"When it comes to you **_SOMEONE_** has to be." 

"Point made and noted." Thalia sighed as she turned to rest at the bonfire to heal what wounds she, herself, had before Wuldric suddenly moved to kneel beside her to bandage what wounds couldn't be healed through the smoke or through her Estus flask.

"Next time," Wuldric started as Thalia hissed as he tended to her right arm, "_**WAIT**_ for me to come help **_BEFORE_** going after anyone wearing that armor set." 

"You should know that I'm not very good with waiting," Thalia didn't need to see his face to know the exact look he gave her from under his silvery winged helm. "Ouch!"

"Stay still and it won't hurt as much," He commented while Arkon watched how tenderly Wuldric treated Thalia. "There. I would suggest the both of you stay at the bonfire until the wounds have a chance to become fully healed and actually **_REST_**." Wuldric shot Thalia another look as she huffed something under her breath. "What was that?"

"Nothing!" Thalia quickly responded as Wuldric smiled with her returning it. Being as gentle as physically possible, Wuldric pulled Thalia into a hug and she returned it as best as she could. "I've missed you."

"And I you," Wuldric smirked as Arkon continued to watch this time with his own soft smile, while Xiana watched with wonder and silent joy for her best friend. "Now, get some rest," Wuldric pulled away from Thalia who watched her brother with a smile. "I will keep an eye out for anyone who dares invade while you sleep." He promised as Thalia watched him move away while she looked to Arkon then who nodded. 

"I will do the same. Get some rest you need to heal and you still have a long journey ahead of you." Arkon told her as he turned to follow after Wuldric. 

"They're right Thalia. Let's get some rest while they keep an eye out for danger." Xiana smiled softly as Thalia turned to her.

"You're not against having a Black Knight and a Silver Knight keep watch?"

"You said it yourself, you trust your brother and I highly doubt Arkon will do anything. Besides I actually feel better with them keeping watch. They are stronger then both of us combined and with both of them here together I feel sorry for any poor sob who tries to disturb our rest." 

Thalia huffed out a soft chuckle, "True," Thalia felt a yawn overcome her. "Alright, let's get some rest then and I will explain more of my relationship with Wuldric in better detail later on." With that both women managed to carefully lay down on their bedrolls and curled up under their blankets while Wuldric watched from nearby. 

"You truly do care for her as you would a sister," Arkon commented as he too watched the young women curl up.

"I've said it before Arkon, Thalia is a sister to me and I made a promise. I will protect her until my last breath or until the day she reaches the end of this journey. Until she goes where I cannot follow." The thought of that dreaded day drawing ever nearer filled him with sorrow. Even though he would never be caught admitting it outloud, Wuldric truly loved her as an older brother should love their sister and to even fathom the thought of losing her filled him with an unspeakable amount of sorrow that he shouldn't think possible for a Silver Knight such as he.

_He really is like me in his own way. _Arkon focused on Wuldric for a moment who was watching Thalia from where they stood. _Only he has a reason to continue on._ Arkon glanced towards Thalia and frowned. _A Silver Knight's promise is an oath. I don't blame him for wanting to keep her safe in every way possible... Yet I know how this will end. One of them is going to be faced with nothing but tragedy in the end but which one it will be I cannot say... but whichever one it is I will be there for them so they do not share in my cursed fate. _Sadly Arkon could not know just how right he was, one of the two would face a terrible tragedy but who that person was would face the death of not one but three people they deeply cared for and that person would be Thalia and he would hold true to his promise when that day came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes Solaire will eventually make his return. Like in a chapter or two, he will return.
> 
> (Last chapter for the day!)


	25. Twenty-four

_Thalia looked around in confusion as she saw mountains of ash around her. _Where am I? I don't recognize this place..._ She frowned as she began walking across the barren and deadened landscape. _Everything is...dead... Turned to ash. What could have caused this?_ she wondered more to herself then outloud before suddenly tripping over something and landing face first into the ash. "What the-!" As she turned to check to see what she had tripped over, Thalia froze upon recognizing what remained of a familiar person__. "No. No no no no..." Thalia didn't want to believe her eyes and so as she scrambled backwards, she forced herself to stand and **RUN** as if demons were on her heels which wouldn't be a complete lie as when she dared a chance glance backwards she saw a literal **HORDE** of the monstrosities hounding after her. _Not this again! Please not this again! Just-! _"Leave me alone!" She cried out as she ran as fast as humanly possible over the ashen ground, which proved to be a bit more difficult then she was hoping it to be as it left plenty of room for the demons to follow her footprints which stood out in the harsh grey ground. _

_"But why should we?" A guttural voice responded as Thalia felt the ground shaking beneath her and forced herself to try and stop as the ground far before her suddenly ruptured as lava came spewing skyward from the maw created by the sudden and expanding crevice that was created by the suddenly quaking ground. Finding herself unable to stop, Thalia nearly fell off the cliff before managing to find grip upon the now revealed stone and clung to it for dear life. Taking a quick glance down, Thalia felt fear over whelm her before suddenly feeling herself being lifted by a clawed hand which released _ _and threw her away from the edge causing her to cry out as a sharp pain bloomed in her side. "You are one of us dear Thalia." The owner of the voice and clawed hand spoke once more causing Thalia to look up and shiver continuously as she spotted what was most likely a crow-headed demon._

_"I am _ **NOT** _ a demon!" _

_"Aren't you though?" The demon stalked forward and Thalia stood despite her terror holding her in place (all while silently swearing that if the demon before her could smile it likely would be in that terrifyingly smirking manner). "You chose to _ **willingly serve** _ a child of chaos, a **DAUGHTER** of Chaos might I add, thus it makes **YOU** one of us."_

_"No! I refuse to believe that!" Thalia said as she felt flames begin near and around her feet. Looking down she watched as the fire began to crawl up her legs slowly as the demon continued to approach her._

_"Oh but believe it you should! You **CHOSE** to serve a Daughter of Chaos, you **USE** our pyromancies which are considered "tainted" with the chaos flame. You _**ARE**_ one of us Thalia. _**YOU**_ are a _**SERVANT**_ to chaos. _**YOUR**_ eyes _**GLOW** _with our corruption." The flames that had been slowly ascending upon her legs began to rise faster with each step closer the demon drew. "In the end, the blessing, or rather what you would see as a curse, that was placed upon you from the first moment you began your service to the Daughter of Chaos will swallow you whole. In the end, you WILL be one of us just in a different way." The flames soon rose as high as they could go upon her and swallowed Thalia whole. "YOU ARE A DEMON!"_

_Thalia's scream echoed in the area around her before she suddenly willed herself to reject the flames that blazed over her armor and any exposed parts of her skin. As she rejected the flames they vanished into nothing with a blast of air and soon Thalia stood with eyes blazing red with fury she wasn't aware of having. _ **"I. AM. NO. DEMON."** _ She snarled _ _inhumanly as her blackened armor (or well the parts of it that were once a silvery metal) gleamed in the light of the lava as the demon watched her before the demon could react, Thalia reached out with a clawed glove and gripped the demon around the throat and lifted it over the cliff and now the demon struggled. "You think yourself so clever don't you? Finding me while I am on the hunt for the last lord souls. Trying to trick me into accepting something that will "in the end"," Thalia smirked then as the demon's blazing red-orange eyes widened somehow, "Screw me and my friends over."_

_"Please Thalia... I only mean to give you a gift! Something that will aid you with control over the flames you can easily cast!" _

_"Aid me?! Do you really think I would accept the AID OF A DEMON?!" Thalia roared as she tightened her grip upon his throat causing him to choke._

**"THALIA!****"** _The voice that spoke now was familiar to her and Thalia barely cast a glance to see a familiar black armored Knight walking her way. "Put him down on the ground." The Knight was Arkon and while part of Thalia wondered just _**HOW**_ he had gotten here, another part of her really didn't give two shits. _

_"Give me a _ **VERY** _ good reason why I shouldn't just kill him now, Arkon." Thalia demanded as the demon squirmed weakly in her vice-like grip._

_"Because what's done is done. Killing him now won't free you from the curse that he's placed upon you."_

_"No, but it sure as fuck will make me feel better."_

_"Only for a little while." Arkon told her as she frowned. _

_Closing her eyes and sighing, Thalia decided that Arkon was right and threw the demon back onto the ground and away from her, causing the demon to go rolling a few feet before she spoke. "Leave this place filth before I decide that letting Arkon talk me into sparing your life was a bad idea. But if you or _ **ANY** _ of your brethren decided to try this again, be forewarned that I will find any and all of you and I _ **WILL** _ slaughter each and every one of you until not a single piece can be identified." Thalia snarled at the demon who swiftly scrambled away leaving her and Arkon, who was watching the demon run away like a coward. Thalia, for her part, opened her eyes to watch the never changing grey horizon before addressing Arkon who turned back towards her. "I would ask how it is you are here but I have a feeling I have Xiana to thank for that."_

_"And you would be right. The moment she sensed something was wrong she called for Wuldric and I. When she cast a spell to try and forcefully awaken you, she discovered that the spell was stopped by a demon's magic. Beings that I am the only other one touched by the magic of demons, she was able to cast a spell that enables me to be here now." _

_Thalia gave a slight chuckle, "I always told her that that spell would come in handy one day..." _

_Arkon said nothing for a moment before he turned to look around. "This place... what is it?"_

_"Not what. _ **WHERE** _. In truth this is a twisted version of a place I loved to visit when I was younger," Thalia admitted as she kept her gaze on the horizon. "The lava below used to be a crystalline lake with waters so clear you could see the very bottom of the lake itself. Waters so crystalline that I could peer into them and see a perfect reflection of myself." Thalia finally closed her eyes again. "Now I wonder if the girl I used to see in the water was truly who I was." Thalia opened her eyes and turned from the lava lake below them and began to walk away with Arkon close behind. As she walked she approached some once jagged "cliffs" and noted how glass like they were upon being stained black as night with lava. Reaching out, Thalia noted that the reflection she saw in the mirror like rocks also reached out and the moment her hand was upon them her reflection touched it at the same time and she studied herself for several moment. It was near shocking to see what had suddenly become on herself and despite how badly she tried to control the shaking in her hands, she couldn't. Once more she had been "transformed" and it nearly pained her to see the newest changes to overcome her. Though her skin was still fair, her hair still dark blue, her mark still its unusual bluish purple, it was her eyes and armor that shocked to look upon in this reflection. Her eyes were still blazing a bright and unholy red, her armor which had once been dark brown with some black for the leather and silvery for the metal work for the gloves and other parts was now scorched permanently black and as she pulled away, she lowered her gaze and sighed. "What happened to me...?" it wasn't a question that was meant to be answered but Arkon spoke up as he moved closer._

_"The same thing that happened to my brothers and I long ago." he told her as she looked back up to see _HIS_ reflection move closer to her. His armor, which had once been in the style of the Silver Knights with wings upon the helm was black as midnight with the helm's wings being changed to a mimicry of horns and unlike the Silver Knight armor, Arkon's was lacking the distinct cape, something she was pretty sure he abandoned in his fury however long ago it was when he was changed._

_"That's not what I meant..." Thalia sighed as she fully pulled away from the rock face as he stopped to watch her. "I never used to have such dark tendencies. I used to be completely different, I was..." she sighed. _

_"Full of hope and wonder?" He inquired as she chuckled darkly. _

_"That's putting it mildly..." Thalia huffed as he smiled. _

_"No that's putting it perfectly," Arkon moved to stand beside her. "I would know because I used to be like that as well."_

_"You make it sound like in some way I'm a lot like you."_

_"Because in some way, you are."_

_"But how can I be?" Thalia shook her head. "The demon was right in a way. I _ **brought** _ this curse down upon myself. I _ **willingly ** _served a Child, a _ **DAUGHTER** _, of Chaos. I _**USE**_ pyromancies that are _**TAINTED**_ with Chaos! _**YOU**_ were a Silver Knight in service to Lord Gwyn. How in anyway does that make _**us**_ alike?!" Thalia turned to Arkon now, her once blazing red eyes finally having returned to their normal blue but this time they were filled with unshed tears, before lowering her gaze and closing her eyes as Arkon moved enough to raise his hand and gently placed it under her chin and caused her to look up towards him. _

_"It makes us the same because we _BOTH_ are tainted by the demons. We share a curse that no one else does. We share memories of things that lead each of us down the path that lead to me becoming a black knight and you into the woman that will succeed Lord Gwyn. We ARE the same. Maybe not in a physical sense, but in another way. In their own way, the demons have help us."_

_Thalia's eyes were still filled with tears and it pained Arkon to see them like that, "How does it help us?" _

_"Because it unites us in a way that we can help each other. No one else left alive has gone through what _**WE**_ have with the demons placing the curses upon us. Yes there are still Black Knights out there like myself. But NONE of them were freed like I was when you and I unexpectedly met and battled. _**YOU**_ and _**I** _share something no one else ever will and I would be honored to call you a friend. A _SISTER_."_

_"Arkon..." Thalia wasn't sure what to do but Arkon smiled under his dark helm before gently pulling her close like he had seen Wuldric do and THAT caused the tears to start flowing from Thalia. _

_"Give yourself some time." he whispered as she sobbed as he held her. "Once you are ready we can awaken. I'm sure Wuldric and Xiana are beyond worried."_

_"Most likely," Thalia said once she had calmed down enough to talk. "I've never woken from something like this though..."_

_"I have but I feel it would be wiser to have Xiana awaken you. Once I am awakened I will have her awaken you."_

_"That sounds good." With that Arkon's form vanished and Thalia gave herself a few moments to prepare for Xiana's gentle spell work. _I need to remember to thank her for learning the spells once I awaken. _and with that, Thalia closed her eyes as she felt Xiana's magic call her back into the waking world._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kill my muses for this chapter lol I have NO idea where it came from they just wanted it to happen.


	26. Twenty-five

"_Fuck. this. shit._" Thalia growled out as she sat and then collapsed onto her back near the bonfire at Firelink Shrine with Xiana sitting cross legged at the bonfire. Wuldric was standing a ways away with Arkon beside him (both knights watching the two as Thalia laid down while Xiana warmed up her hands. After defeating the legendary Gravelord Nito with Xiana's aid (Wuldric and Arkon had been unable to help the two women) Thalia and Xiana along with the two Knights had come back to Firelink Shrine where Thalia and Xiana could rest up before parting ways once more, Xiana to go back to the Archives where she would be looking up every manner of curses that dealt with demons (mainly to free Thalia and Arkon of the curses placed upon them by said demons) and how to combat the demonic magic in any form it took and Thalia to head to the nearby forest that had been named Darkroot Forest.

"Issues?" Xiana inquired watching her best friend lay on the ground while apparently not giving a flying fuck about the mud and things that would be all over her armor once she got up.

"Fuck off." Thalia responded as Xiana chuckled. Sighing, Thalia lifted her legs and with a push off the ground, she landed in a crouching position that also lead to the sounds of her back popping, which in turn caused her to grunt.

"Oh, I heard that."

"I'm not going to lie," Thalia stood to stretch then, "That actually hurt a little."

"From the sound I heard? I'd believe it." Xiana watched as Thalia stretched before rolling both her shoulders and head. "You know I always wondered how you stay so...nimble...I guess the word would be and now I know."

Thalia looked towards Xiana then, "Seriously? We've known each other for **_HOW LONG_** now and you didn't EVER notice that I stretch?"

"Nope!" Xiana smiled and Thalia just watched her with an unamused expression.

"_Sometimes I wonder how in the living fuck we-_ what in the?" Thalia stopped speaking as everyone looked skyward to see fluffy flakes of what appeared to be snow slowly falling to the ground.

"Is it...snowing?"

Wuldric spoke this time, "It looks to be that way."

"It's been years since it last snowed in Lordran..." Arkon spoke up now as he looked down and around at the three around him only to watch as Thalia reached out a clawed hand and saw a single flake land on the glove she wore.

"It's been years since it last snowed **_ANYWHERE_**," Thalia informed him as she met his gaze before looking back up towards the sky as Xiana stood. 

"I had started to notice that it was slowly growing colder but to think that its now cold enough for snow..." Xiana was confused as could be. Beings that Xiana and Thalia were Undead, neither really _**FELT**_ the cold as much as they used to.

No one spoke for a while as all of them were content to watch the snow fall, but eventually Wuldric spoke up. "Then this is very unfortunate timing for it to start snowing indeed."

Thalia looked to her brother then, "What do you mean?" She asked now dreading the response he was to give as he looked down at her as Xiana and Arkon looked towards him as well.

"I must return to the cathedral."

"What?! But we just..." Thalia was shocked to hear what Wuldric said.

"I know, but my orders are still orders, sister. They were given to me by my captain and thus, even if I don't like them, I must obey."

"This is bullshit..." Thalia whined as she looked away and towards the left. "We just came back together after being parted for so long..." 

Wuldric moved closer to Thalia and placed a hand on her right shoulder causing her to look up at him. "I know, but Captain Siefer doesn't understand the bonds that you and I share."

"Will I at least get to see you before I leave to finish my journey?"

"Yes." Wuldric nodded. "Even if I have to disobey Siefer's future orders. I **_WILL_** be here, even if it kills me." He promised as he pulled Thalia into a hug which she returned. 

Arkon watched as Thalia and Wuldric held each other for several long moments before they pulled away and Wuldric left with Thalia watching after him. Before Arkon could speak, Xiana spoke up now. "I guess its time I start heading to the Archives then..." Xiana turned to Thalia who looked at her after Wuldric had disappeared. "The sooner I get started on looking for a way to free you and Arkon from your demonic curses the sooner I can perform the necessary spells."

"You know I'm not holding out much hope for that."

"I know, but its still worth a try." Xiana said before she and Thalia gave each other a hug with Xiana leaving shortly after.

After Xiana disappeared from sight, Arkon noticed just how lonely Firelink shrine really was and, as he watched Thalia sit back down by the bonfire he felt a twinge of sorrow for her. The journey she was undertaking really was a long and lonely road. _How many friends has she lost on this road? How many people have turned against her? How many friends has she had to put down because of their insanity or their shared human curse? How many more will she have to lose on this journey? _He wondered while watching her struggle not to cry as she pulled her knees close and rested her forehead against them. _Such a kind soul in a dark land that is filled with nothing but sorrow. _He looked away for a moment, _Even though it would be wiser of me to leave, I shall not. Not when she needs at least one friend. _Suddenly the sound of chainmail captured his attention and he wordlessly looked to see a man in a white tabard with a sun painted on it come walking into the area. He watched as the man, who was a human knight, spotted him and froze. Fighting back a smirk at that, Arkon only motioned his head towards a still curled up Thalia and watched as the man turned his wary gaze from Arkon towards Thalia and called out her name upon seeing her curled up. 

"Thalia!" The fact that someone had called out her name had Thalia lifting her head to see someone she loved come racing up to her.

"Solaire?" She inquired as he knelt down beside her.

"Are you alright?" His blue eyes shone with worry as he looked her over and she shook her head as she looked away from him.

"I think everything's just fully caught up to me." Setting his weapon and shield down onto the ground, Solaire reached out and pulled Thalia close and she finally broke down. Arkon had seen Thalia cry before, but this was truly something different. Everything was still just building up around her but seeing her allow herself **_SOME_** moments of weakness was surprising to him but even this was going to be nothing compared to the full on nearly mental break down that was coming Thalia's way in the form of a darkness filled tidal wave that Arkon could see slowly rising high above the young woman. 

_The Darkness is rising high above her and is only growing. _Arkon watched as Solaire spoke soothing words to Thalia and frowned. _Something tells me that when it finally comes crashing down around her, I will be unable to help her. _and how right he would be for there was only so much a Black Knight could do for a child of the Dragon God's bloodline. Especially when that bloodline was mixed with the bloodline of the Furtive Pygmy

***

Sometime later found Thalia, along with Arkon who was staying close by her side, standing around a corpse of a creature Arkon had named a "Titanite" demon and Thalia looked towards Arkon then. "What even **_IS_** a titanite demon?" she inquired as Arkon smiled. He was actually pleased that Thalia was interested in learning what she could from him even if it was just to make sure that she **_DIDN'T_** die anytime soon to something stupid. 

"Unfortunately not much is known about the Titanite demons. We do know that they came from the workshop of the old Blacksmith god who was working with titanite slabs at the time of his passing but other then the fact that they wield lightning while still being weak to it, nothing is known."

"Wait. They? As in there is more then one?"

"Is this really the first one you've come across?" Arkon asked with curiosity as she nodded.

"It's the only one I've actually seen in all honesty." Thalia informed him as the Black Knight looked at her in wonder. 

"To my knowledge," Arkon started as he studied the now dead demon before them, "There were a total of eight but there could be more that I was never made aware of." 

"So in other-words, there is a possibility we could run into more?" Arkon nodded in response and Thalia sighed. "Lovely."

"Do not fret, I will be with you to aid you."

Thalia seemed to not be very entertained by that thought, "Hate to say this Arkon but that really doesn't make me feel much better." 

Arkon smiled as they turned and began to walk away from the body, "Come, let us linger here no longer. We've still a walk ahead of us."

"Please don't remind me..." Thalia groaned as Arkon held back a chuckle. As they walked in silence (while also stopping to kill things left and right) Arkon noted that Thalia seemed to be smiling a bit and it made him wonder what could be on her mind until he remembered the Warrior of Sunlight (Thalia had introduced Solaire and Arkon to one another and while their was still a bit of tension between the two, Arkon respected the fact that Solaire cared deeply for Thalia) that Thalia was in love with and decided to tease her a bit.

"You know Thalia," Arkon started as she turned her attention to him as they made their approach to two very large doors. 

"Hmn?" 

"You and that Warrior of Sunlight would make very good parents to some beautiful children."

That cause Thalia's steps to waver and Arkon smirked. "I...what...What brought this on?!" 

"Just an observation." Arkon replied as he glanced to Thalia who had returned to keeping pace with him. "You know he still has yet to meet Wuldric."

"And a part of me worries about that," Thalia admitted.

"Why?"

"Arkon...Wuldric is my eldest, and only remaining, brother. Brothers are usually extremely protective of their younger sisters when it comes to matters of their sisters finding a male outside of the family to be with," Thalia informed him as Arkon turned his gaze towards her. "I can't begin to imagine how well the meeting between Solaire and Wuldric would go." 

"Has Solaire done anything to you that Wuldric wouldn't approve of?"

"What?! No!" Thalia was shocked to hear that come from Arkon, but she also understood the reason behind it. "Solaire has been nothing but supportive and kind since I've met him." Thalia looked away from Arkon then with the tell-tale blush of a young woman in love. "He's cares for me in a way I wouldn't have ever expected from anyone who wasn't my family or those who were already my friends. He worries for me in ways that rival both Xiana and Wuldric. I told him of the...incident...with the demon and he" Arkon was smiling softly now as Thalia blushed. 

"Then you have no reason to be worried. As long as Solaire has done nothing to harm you, Wuldric will not see him as a threat."

"You're putting a lot of confidence in that."

"I've known Wuldric for a long time, Thalia. He did serve under me for several years before you were born. So long as Solaire does no harm to you, Wuldric will not mind him. He will threaten the Warrior, that is true, but it will only be a warning." Arkon informed her as both he and Thalia turned to the doors that now loomed before them. "Tis what I would do if I was in Wuldric's place." 


	27. Twenty-six

Wuldric stood before another Silver Knight, this one though was wearing a blue cape instead of the usual tannish colored ones that almost all Silver Knights wore. "Captain Siefer. You wished to see me?"

"I did Wuldric," the Knight that Wuldric addressed turned his gaze to look at the younger Silver Knight. "I have been informed that our long-lost Brother Knight, Arkon, has returned to Lordran and is now traveling with the woman you claim to be as a sister. Is this true?"

"It is Ser," Wuldric frowned.

"And you are not disturbed by this fact?"

"I am not."

"Yet you are aware that Arkon is a Black Knight? A fallen brother of ours who has lost his path."

"I am, but I trust Arkon to be around my sister."

"And why is that?"

"Tis because of what happened between them when my sister revisited the Asylum."

"And what exactly are you aware of happening between them?"

"That my sister and Arkon were fighting when something happened and she managed to free Arkon of whatever darkness had taken hold of him."

The Silver Knight named Siefer frowned now as he looked towards the horizon, "Then you are not aware of the full story."

"I'm afraid I don't understand Ser," Wuldric didn't understand what Siefer was trying to get at. _Is he trying to turn me against Arkon and my sister?_

"There is a bit more to the story then just your sister and Arkon fighting. While you were away and down with her in the Catacombs and the Tomb of Giants, I was informed of exactly what happened between Thalia and our lost brother. Twas not Thalia who freed him but twas in fact the doing of a ring that your sister wore. A ring that many humans will kill for, a ring that was said to be passed down from mother to daughter within Thalia's true family."

"A ring?"

"The ring itself is a form of the rings known as Cursebite rings."

"But those rings are said to only grant a human a stronger resistance to being cursed. Not break a curse."

"True, but when I went looking into what could have freed our brother from the madness instilled upon him. I discovered that Thalia's ring was one that worked well with her bloodline. A Cursebite ring that was not actually a cursebite ring. The ring that broke the curse upon our lost brother has no true name but was made for one specific family and it's latent power could only be activated by those of the family's Dragonic blood when in a time of need."

"Are you saying that my sister broke the curse 'pon Arkon through this ring?"

"Indeed. Thalia's dragon blood saw our lost brother as a great threat to her person and so activated the power of the ring. When Arkon's blade was to crash down upon her, the power of the ring activated and the ring broke in the process freeing him of the curse upon him."

Wuldric said nothing for several moments. _So Thalia unknowingly freed him but somehow Arkon is still cursed and now she shares in his curse. _"But why would her grandmother, mother or her even have need for such a ring? Are not those of Dragon's blood resistant to such things as curses?" Wuldric had found it odd at the time that a demon had so easily been able to curse his sister, who was (again) cursed with the one thing that cursed all of humanity, but what Siefer said next was more then enough of an explanation. 

"Your sister is only partially of the Dragon's blood. She is more human then dragon and therefore while she still has plenty of natural resistances to being cursed due to her unique bloodline, tis, in fact, her humanity that dooms her to being so easily able to be to cursed." Siefer waited for Wuldric to process what he spoke before speaking again. "It has also come to my understanding that your sister now suffers a curse brought about by the demons of Chaos?"

"She does. She believes that she brought it 'pon herself due to the fact that she willingly uses pyromancies tainted with chaos and served a dying daughter of Chaos."

Siefer closed his eyes and shook his head. "She is _**not**_ correct on that assumption."

"What do you mean Ser?"

"Demons cannot curse someone who willingly served one of the Daughters of Chaos directly. The power of the Daughters is much stronger then that of the demons and would not allow it. No, Thalia was cursed because the Daughter she served released her from service and thus left Thalia open to the Demons. But that is enough of that, Go now, return to your sister and inform both her and our lost brother of what you have learned this day." With that Siefer dismissed Wuldric who turned and walked away. 

_I will inform them, but Arkon will not be pleased to hear that it came from you Siefer. In fact, I am not pleased to hear all this come from you and not from the source of your information. _For the briefest of moments Wuldric's eyes flashed red with anger but soon calmed again as he thought of his sister. _She will not be happy to learn of how the demons were able to curse her. _Stopping for a moment to look at the direction he figured her to be going in, Wuldric couldn't help but frown. _Sister. I'm afraid I only bring bad news your way. But I will do whatever it takes to see my promises to mother _**AND**_ grandmother through. _


	28. Twenty-seven

Thalia groaned as she shook her head before looking around. "Where in the?" She asked as she looked around. Outside of remembering being grabbed by an unusually large and strange looking hand that had pulled her through some sort of black portal that had been where a young woman (that Thalia had freed from a crystal golem) once stood, Thalia had no idea what had just happened to her or even where the hand had taken her. _This place is...unfamiliar... to me... Where am I? _She noted that the area around her was a cave of sorts filled with roots of trees that were likely high above her but that was of little concern right now as she cried out joyously upon noticed that not a few feet before her sat an unlit bonfire. "**_Oh thank the gods!_**" She whooped as she rushed up to light the bonfire and sit at it while she gathered her bearings. Right now she could sense that this place was a safe haven, and while she really **_DIDN'T_** want to continue on, she knew she had to to figure out just where she was. Sighing Thalia began to head the only way she saw and eventually came to a foggy door, "Oh fuck me sideways..." She snarled as she realized what lay behind THIS wall of fog. "Please let it be something I can fill with arrows and not a full on melee battle." Unfortunately for Thalia, that was just a far off wish and what lay behind the fog was not something that would allow her to fill it with arrows. "Is that... a **_Sanctuary Guardian?!_**" She asked before hearing it roar upon spotting her. "Oh shit!" Pulling out her daggers Thalia prepared for it as it charged towards her and she growled before dodging the incoming attack. _This is going to take a while. _But "take a while" would be a major understatement as when the fight would finish, Thalia would be panting and looking at where the beast fell. _I just had to kill Artorias's companion Sif, the Great Grey Wolf...now I've just gone and likely killed the _**LAST**_ Sanctuary Guardian alive. Good job me. _Thalia was not pleased with herself on the fact that she had killed Artorias's wolf companion Sif, especially not after the fact that Sif had reacted strangely to Thalia's scent which still confused Thalia. She had never seen the wolf before, yet after pinning her down, Sif had sniffed at her before pulling away to whine sadly before howling with grief. A grief that had broken something in Thalia's heart and had caused Thalia to fight with even less enthusiasm then she usually had when facing someone or something (not saying that she was enthusiastic anyways before a battle as she really wasn't) but that fight with Sif had made sure that she would carry no joy during or for a long time afterwords. Deciding that she should not linger, Thalia continued onward towards the way she had NOT come from and walked through a long hallway before coming out to a large circular area. "What in the?"

"Well, look at this one! From what far-away age has thou come?" Looking around Thalia looked for the source of the voice before spotting what appeared to be a giant immobile mushroom.

"Pardon?" Thalia inquired as she cautiously made her way over to the mushroom. 

"Thy scent is very human, indeed...But, not intolerable...Ah, Princess Dusk's saviour! Thine aura is precisely as she described. I thank thee deeply, for rescuing Her Highness. But Princess Dusk is here no longer...snatched away by that horrifying primeval human. And so I must ask...Couldst thou once more play the saviour?"

"Of course!" Thalia agreed as the Mushroom gave what could pass as a look of relief.

"Thank you." The Mushroom smiled towards Thalia, or well Thalia believed it was a smile. "I am Elizabeth, guardian of this sanctuary. Something of a godmother to Princess Dusk. I shall assist thee, to my utmost. For I am one with the sorceries of Oolacile."

"I am Thalia."

It was then that Elizabeth reacted, "Thou art from a time far, far ahead indeed. There are many things I wish to ask...But I know that I must not. The perils of our time are overwhelming enough." Elizabeth studied Thalia for a moment before they spoke for a while longer. After Thalia was given some direction to where it was likely that the woman named Dusk, the woman that Thalia had saved some time ago, was taken. Thalia prepared to leave when Elizabeth called out to her. "May the flames guide thee and keep thy path lit." Turning, Thalia went to say something but noted that Elizabeth was now sleeping and so, with a load of confusion, Thalia left the area and went to fight along whatever path she needed to get to Princess Dusk's location.

After fighting several scarecrow like things, Thalia was drawing near to a bridge when something large, like a black colored dragon, landed upon it causing Thalia to pause in her tracks as his dark head turned towards her. Meeting his eyes, something in Thalia swore that his gaze gave away the fact that he knew **_EXACTLY_** who and what she was. Frozen to where she stood, she couldn't help but nearly **_FEAR_** this great dragon before her, yet as they kept their gazes locked, something about this dragon seemed strangely familiar to her as well. "Who are you?" 

As if he could understand her (how she knew it was a he was surprising to her) he squinted a little before growling. _You know who I am._ Seemed to be the unheard response before he turned his head and took off again leaving Thalia to watch after him.

_Do I know him? _Thalia wondered as she watched the black dragon fly away. Shaking her head Thalia continued on until she came across a path way that lead to what looked to be a coliseum. Looking around Thalia noted that the doorway was blocked by fog and frowned. _Is this never going to end? Who or what am I facing now? _She wondered before crossing through the fog. Tilting her head at what she saw after, Thalia wondered how this enemy was any danger to her but was soon corrected in her thinking when someone slammed down suddenly upon the ground and killed the creature causing Thalia to almost step back as the person's gaze turned towards her. _Is that...Knight Artorias?! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know short chapter but next one will be worth this one's shortness


	29. Twenty-eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I killed several brain cells doing this in one chapter. Enjoy.
> 
> Also Sif is female in this story because I'm going by mythology and saying that its the goddess's name (aka the goddess Sif)
> 
> Listen to this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSykjg5Ix1w when you reach this part: "Thalia wanted to correct the mushroom woman"

The coliseum was _burning_. Though it was completely by accident and Thalia had not meant for the coliseum to catch flame, she also knew that her chaos tainted pyromancies could **_NOT_** be controlled and therefore the area where she stood facing against the legendary Artorias himself was being burned in what could be described as a ring of chaos tainted flames. Thalia stood panting as she watched Artorias carefully, she was discovering first hand just why he was harder to bring down then any other foe she had fought and while it was mostly due to his unmatched skills with a greatsword, she had noted that the stories of him also left out the fact that he was **_EXTREMELY_** dexterous as well and thus was swift in his movements. _Damn... I don't have enough energy left to cast anymore pyromancies and even if I did have more, I don't think he would let me just _**USE**_ them and there's no way I'm going to be able to use my bow, he moves too fast for me to even think of using it. I have no choice but to resort to using my daggers. _Thalia had been doing nothing more then dodging and casting pyromancies but the man, the _**KNIGHT**_, before her had somehow seen them incoming and had dodged them all (which was the reason behind WHY the coliseum was now ablaze) and had managed to interrupt her a few times which in turn had returned to forcing her to dodge. _But I don't get it. Why is he attacking me without reason? Knight Artorias was said to never attack anyone without proper reason. If they couldn't be spoken with he would attack and _**ONLY**_ if they wouldn't listen to reason...It's like-Wait a moment! _Suddenly as if it bitch-slapped her across the face, Thalia finally noticed the dark and oozing aura around him. _Is that... a physical manifestation of the Abyss clinging to him? _Suddenly it all became clear to Thalia and she knew what she had to do. _Corrupted by the very thing he fought against. Just like Arkon. Just like..._ Thalia scowled as Artorias lunged for her causing her to leap out of the way of the incoming blade though it did manage to slice into her arm, cutting through the leather and leaving a now open and bleeding wound. _Okay Thalia, _**CONCENTRATE**_ on the fight. Worry about everything else later. _Drawing her daggers, Thalia saw an opportunity to lung towards Artorias and snarled as she slashed into him causing him to cry out in pain. "Forgive me Knight Artorias, but I **_MUST_** find Princess Dusk and I am not about to let anyone, corrupted or not, stand in my way." Watching him carefully, she noted that for a moment his eyes (which had shown nothing but a feral viciousness) seemed to regain a temporary look of sanity and part of her wondered if she could reach through to him. _I doubt it though. The Abyss has a tight hold of him. _But the look he gave her while his sanity was there told her that he understood what she was saying and then he attempted to speak causing her to freeze in being hostile towards him, temporarily. 

"I beg of you, the spread of the abyss..... must be stopped." It was a pleading look he gave to her as he struggled to speak those words and she watched him carefully while meeting his eyes. 

"I will do what I can, but I am not you Knight Artorias. I may fail but for you I will attempt to stop it." She promised and told him.

"That is all I need to hear...." He nodded as his sanity began to flee once more, "Now...forgive me..." and with that he returned to attacking her as his sanity fled with the darkness of the Abyss reclaiming him.

Watching him leap up into the air, Thalia barely managed to dodge his incoming attack. As the two continued to fight and trade blows, neither Thalia nor Artorias were aware that above them, watching from somewhere on the higher parts of the coliseum, a woman was looking on with both wonder and worry. Wonder as she could not fathom as of too how Thalia would be able to keep that promise she had heard the young woman make, and worry as she did not know if this young woman was truly honorable or not. _Who are you human? Why have you come here? _She wondered to herself as she watched Artorias and Thalia dance to the tune of clashing blades, tearing armor and bleeding wounds. 

Thalia, for her part, continued to dodge incoming attacks with one or two of them actually landing upon her or even sending her flying into the burning walls where she cried out upon hitting them with such force. When Artorias came flying at her this time, she expected him to slam his weapon down but instead was hit by a sweep of his blade and went sailing through the air until she crashed hard into the wall, causing her to yelp as she felt some bones break with the force of the impact. Groaning as she sat still for a few moments, she suddenly coughed and with the cough came blood. Looking to where the blood hit the ground, her gaze turned away from it as she heard something coming her way and with wide eyes watched as Artorias prepared to come after her once more. Closing her eyes, she **_BEGGED_** forgiveness from him before opening her eyes and unleashing a blast of energy that, once more, rivaled that of the spell known as Wrath of the Gods. Standing despite her injury, Thalia watched as Artorias recovered from being thrown backwards and inhumanly snarled towards him. "Forgive me Knight Artorias for what I am about to do," She growled at him as white lights began to float around them both. "But I am afraid that it is time to end this and free you from your corruption." Closing her eyes, Thalia called upon the dragon's blood within her veins and once more the blue dragon appeared behind her in a ghostly form, only this time it was partially as its head reared back and roared while the wings spread wide. AS the roar finished, the dragon snarled with a hiss before vanishing as Thalia's blue eyes flared with an icy color and she lunged forward as her daggers caught fire. As she rushed the once proud Knight, she watched as Artorias stood still and allowed her to cut him down. After the blade of her dagger made contact, Thalia turned partially to listen as Artorias cried out but the cry that escaped him was both his relief as well as the pain of whatever Abyssal energy clung to him. What Thalia could not have known as she collapsed from the use of so much energy and the pain of her wounds, was that the woman watching was completely shocked upon seeing what had just happened. Even more so, Thalia could not have known that in this time (having discovered that she had been dragged into the past), over in Anor Londo itself, a younger version of the current Silver Knight Captain known as Captain Siefer had also _**SEEN**_ the apparition of the dark blue dragon and had heard its roar along with several other Silver Knights. Nor could Thalia know was that it was because of her calling out to her dragon blood that would start Siefer's interest in whom or what she was.

"What was **_THAT_**?" Another Silver Knight (who had been around as long as Siefer) inquired as Siefer watched with amazement as the dragon vanished.

"Take four of our brothers and go investigate. It was in the direction of Oolacile's Coliseum," Siefer told the Knight who nodded and disappeared to do as told. _What was that? I've never seen anything like that before... Could the rumors of those humans with dragon's blood flowing naturally through their veins be true? Could the Black Dragon have something akin to family remaining?_

As Siefer questioned that, the spoken of Black Dragon watched from where he was perched and was amazed at what he saw. Though he could not speak out-loud, he still had thoughts and one of those thoughts turned into wonder. _I knew it. That woman I saw at the bridge IS of dragon's blood. But which of my deceased brothers mated with a human to create such a creature? Who is the reason behind why she was able to call to that blue dragon? or Mayhaps 'twas not one of my brothers but instead one of my sisters before their passing? She did smell heavily of one of my sisters._ But whatever the answer would be, the Black Dragon would not discover even as he stood watching as the fire of the coliseum vanished. _I must keep an eye upon her. There may be more to her then what I or even those...LORDS... and their followers and those tiny beings they call humans may know about her. _

But within the Coliseum where Thalia now lay passed out, the woman who had once been hidden came down and walked over to her to study her. _A child of Dragons that is not half-dragon herself? _Looking up the woman looked towards where the blue dragon had appeared and frowned. _That power...the ability to summon such a beast without actually being a dragon... Who are you child? _She wondered as she looked to Thalia now before seeing that Thalia's blood was slowly gathering in a pool around her. Realizing that Thalia would die if left untreated, the woman quickly cast a healing miracle to close the worst of the wounds and flinched when she felt her magic run over the broken bones within the young woman's body but continued to tend to Thalia until she deemed the young woman healed enough to be left alone (she did not leave until she was also certain that Thalia would be warmed while near a small campfire and upon some blankets) while she went and built a gravestone for Artorias.

***

Thalia groaned out as she slowly opened her eyes to see that she was still within the Coliseum where she had fought Artorias. Only things were different now. The walls of the Coliseum were blackened from her pyromancy, parts of the floor were still covered with the mixture of both her's and Artorias's blood, and where there had been nothing before now stood a gravestone with a woman kneeling before it with hands clasped before her breast and head bowed in prayer. Standing (despite the pain she felt), Thalia stopped as she looked into her pack and frowned as she took out the newest soul. Looking back to the woman, Thalia could guess as of too WHOSE soul it was and, cradling it gently in her hands, Thalia made her way over to the woman. "Excuse me?"

The woman turned her head slightly to glance at Thalia who was walking over to her before noting that Thalia held something carefully within her grasp. "...You, is that not... The soul of the man who fell on this spot, he was a dear friend. I wish to pay proper respect, with that Soul. Would you be willing to part with it?" She inquired as Thalia nodded. 

"I would not keep someone so noble from a proper rest," Thalia told the woman who lowered her hands and allowed Thalia to gently pass the soul over. "Tis not my place to take Knight Artorias's soul but I pray that he finds peace." 

The woman smiled underneath what Thalia could rightfully assume to be a mask, "Thank you, you are very kind." The woman was surprised to find that this particular human, who wielded such great power that she had been witness too, was so kind and thoughtful. "Please take this, I no longer need it." The woman took her blades from where they rested while cradling Artorias's soul and handed the weapons to Thalia.

"I cannot take these! I am not worthy of such a..."

"You are." The woman could tell now that Thalia was truly noble of heart. "They will aid you as they have always aided me. Especially for the trials you next face." She smiled kindly as Thalia finally accepted the weapons. "May the Lord guide thee." She told Thalia who frowned before nodding and walking away to leave the woman alone to her mourning. _Be safe child for only darkness lay ahead of you, be you from here or from beyond. _

As Thalia left the area, she couldn't help but wonder _**WHO**_ that woman was before looking to the weapons that had been gifted to her. Yet still, for a reason Thalia didn't understand at that moment, she felt a tear slip from the corner of her eye in sadness, both for Knight Artorias as well as that woman who clearly loved the man that Thalia had slain. Stopping at the bonfire just outside of the Coliseum. Thalia sighed as she thought over something. _Is this all I will ever do? Fight until there is nothing left? Until there is no more fight left within my body? Until I, myself, am cut down when I am no longer able to resist whatever darkness may take hold of me? _Closing her eyes for a moment, Thalia felt a slight breeze pick up and looked towards the horizon. _I am not worthy of the gifts that that woman gave to me..._ Thalia wrapped her arms around herself as she lowered her head and closed her eyes again. _I'm so tired of fighting...of running...of everything...I just want to go home..._ Opening her eyes Thalia unwrapped her arms from around herself and began to make her way through what looked to be a town, of course that also meant fighting the creatures that came with it and as she fought her way through the creatures that she could tell were likely human at one time, she couldn't help but feel sorry for them. Making sure to check everywhere she could, Thalia sighed as it took her a long while to travel from one end of the town to the next due to all the twists and turns as well as all the things she fought along the way. Once she had several items as well as what appeared to be a key, she left that area to continue onward on her quest to find the one known as Princess Dusk. By the time Thalia reached another bonfire, she realized just how tired she was. Both of all the fighting and spiritually but no matter how **_BADLY_** she wanted to turn away from it all, she knew she had to continue and so, with a tired sigh, she continued on until she came across what looked to be giant floating humanity sprites. _What in the? _ Suddenly a meow sounded from behind her and turning, Thalia spotted a familiar cat looking up at her. _Hmm? Is that?_ Turning she followed the cat until she came across a hidden path and a VERY familiar wolf encircled in what appeared to be a holy and cleansing aura. _WAIT! THAT'S SIF! _And suddenly that fight against Sif and Sif's reaction to her during **_HER_** time made complete and **_PERFECT_** sense. Rushing forward to cut through the humanities, Thalia soon freed the grey wolf, who looked to her with thanks before howling and disappearing. _Now I understand... Oh Sif... I'm so sorry... _Thalia felt a pang of guilt at knowing what she had done to the poor wolf in the future and something in her nearly broke. Shaking her head, Thalia turned and left that area to continue forward, fighting the humanity like things that stood in her way. A few of them though would often manage to pass _through_ her and the feeling they left behind in her chilled her to the very marrow of her bones. But regardless of that fact Thalia pushed forward until she reached a huge fog wall and frowned as she studied it. "Hopefully this is it?" She huffed before lowering her gaze, "Dusk, if you're anywhere in there, I'm coming to save you." She said to no one as she fished something out of her pack and, removing one of her gloves, she put the item on her middle finger of her right hand and replaced the glove. "Here go nothing," She inhaled a deep breath to steady herself before passing through the fog. Upon entering the area after passing through the fog she was confused and frowned. _There's nothing here?_ She wondered before the ground began to shake and black flames appeared before her from far below. _What the-?! _She barely had time to react before the large deformed hand suddenly appeared before smashing down upon her and dragging her down into the darkness. _**SHIT!** _

***

Thalia groaned as she slowly got up from the ground, _Damn this passing out nearly all the time...This is starting to piss me off..._ Standing to her full height, Thalia looked around before feeling the ground shake as something came her way. _What in the? _Then whatever was making the ground shake came to be before her and she cursed. _"Son of a bitch..." _What soon appeared before her was something that she had never seen before but if she had to guess, she could likely say that **_THIS_** being was the source of the Corruption all around her and that **_THIS_** was the being that Elizabeth had spoken of having been the reason behind the fact that Dusk was missing. _So this is Manus, the Father of the Abyss. I may not be able to win this on my own but I have to try something. Hang on Dusk, I'm coming. Wait...what's that? A summon sign here? _Thalia saw a summoning sign and frowned before dodging towards it as Manus attempted to attack her and touched the sign swiftly before lunging towards Manus while praying that the call for whomever it was went through. As Manus and Thalia traded blows, Thalia suddenly tripped up on some rubble and yelped, **_"NO!__"_** She yelped as she hit the ground. Looking up, Thalia watched as Manus prepared to slam his hand down upon her only to be distracted with pain as a lupine snarl echoed through out the area. **_SIF?! _**_I summoned Sif? _Thalia watched as the great grey wolf snarled as she stood over Thalia with Artorias's blade in her jaws. "Sif, distract him while I heal up!" Thalia told the wolf who acknowledge the request and lunged for Manus while Thalia stood and chugged twice from her Estus Flask. Before calling to her pyromancy abilities. **_"SIF! COME HERE!"_** She called out as the wolf leapt over towards her and curled around her closely. "Alright bastard, you want to use darkness to aid you?" Thalia snarled as Manus, who was bleeding from wounds created by Sif and the sword, turned towards her with his own snarl. **_"THEN FACE THE LIGHT OF FIRE!"_** Thalia roared out as she cast the Chaos-tainted pillars of flame she tended to favor. Willing them to travel **_AWAY_** from her and Sif, she was shocked to discover that the pillars did just that but in response to her will it now created a huge ring of fire that began to rise as high as possible and Manus hissed at the fact that he had no darkness to cover him. "Bring it on now asshole." Thalia snarled once more as her eyes changed from their natural blue to the blazing red they were know to become when she used her Chaos tainted pyromancies.

_You are a demon..._

The voice from demon who had accused her of being one them echoed back to her from the dream that one night and Thalia growled as she and Sif lunged for Manus who began using his darkness tainted magic. _If I am a demon then so be it...but I am a demon of my _**OWN**_ choosing and only I will decide my fate. _Thalia and Sif traded blows with Manus and between her and the wolf, Manus began to struggle on which one would be more appropriate to bring down. _**"SIF!"**_ Thalia cried out as she watched Manus flick the wolf into the barrier like wall of flame causing the wolf to whimper as she lay still trying to recover from the force of the impact. "You son of a bitch!" Thalia's already red blazing eyes brightened as her rage made itself known. **_"DON"T YOU DARE HARM HER!"_** Thalia roared as she leapt towards Manus who turned to attempt to flick her away but to no avail as Thalia's blades bit deep and ripped open more wounds upon the Father of the Abyss. Sif, for her part, watched with whimpers as Thalia and Manus went to town on each other and watched as Thalia lost control of herself due to the wolf having been hurt. Whining, Sif attempted to stand but slid back down as she watched Thalia continue to lung at Manus with a fury that could only be described as rivaling Artorias's when Sif was injured. But to Sif, this fury that had taken hold of Thalia was all wrong, it felt almost unnatural to the wolf and her golden eyes watched with worry. But suddenly Sif noted that Thalia landed in some of Manus's blood and saw some of the blood react as it swiftly rose up to infect the wound that was upon Thalia's leg but Thalia, herself, didn't notice as her fury blinded her to anything else but fighting this being, this _CREATURE_, in front of her now. 

_You are a demon. _

_**PISS OFF DEMON! I HAVE NO TIME FOR YOUR TAUNTS!** _Thalia snarled back at the demon who seemed to be haunting her now. but the voice continued to taunt her and enraged her further which caused her to fight harder against Manus who seemed to be fighting back just as hard now. But the taunts kept coming until Thalia knew she had no choice. _I said... PISS OFF! _With that Thalia called upon her dragon blood and suddenly the ghostly form of the dark blue dragon appeared as she leapt away from Manus who stopped attacking her upon seeing the incorporeal form of the dragon. 

_This is the last time I can help you, my grandbaby..._The voice of the dragon echoed within Thalia's mind who suddenly looked up at the dragon in shock as well. Watching then, Thalia was witness to the dragon opening her jaws as flames gathered within before remembering Sif and rushing over to shield the wolf as the dragon unleashed a blast of flame upon the creature that was the Father of the Abyss who wasn't given any chance to get away before being blasted into nothingness while Thalia threw herself over Sif who curled up under the woman. Suddenly just as the flames hit Manus, Artorias's greatshield, which Thalia had picked up after Sif had left the first time, activated. Protecting both from the wrath of the dragon's fire. _I love you, Thalia...never...forget...that... _ The dragon's voice faded away as Thalia and Sif uncurled from around each other. 

_That dragon...who was she?_ Thalia wondered as Sif whined causing Thalia to turn to the wolf. "Sif, find me in Oolacile Sanctuary if you can. I want to make sure you are alright." Sif huffed her understanding before vanishing, leaving Thalia too turn and see a woman lying on the ground. "**_DUSK!_**" But the woman only groaned. _I don't want to leave her here, even if it IS safe for her to be left here. I'll take her back to Elizabeth and help make sure that she is okay. _With that, Thalia walked over to where Dusk lay and carefully scooped the other woman into one of her arms before taking out and breaking a "Homeward bone" sending both herself and Dusk back to the sanctuary nearly shocking Elizabeth who was relieved to see both Thalia and Dusk. 

"I have awaited thee. Thou hast rescued Princess Dusk," Elizabeth sighed as she instructed Thalia where to rest the Princess, "...and rid us of that terrible primeval human. Even halting the spread of the Abyss! I salute the grandeur of thine enterprise. Please, allow me to express my gratitude. I thank thee... as do we all."

Thalia wanted to correct the mushroom woman but decided against it. "I need no thanks for doing what was right. But..."

"Do not fret, I will remember thee, but I will keep thy story to myself. This is the best way, for thou art come from a time far ahead. No-one will sing thy praises, but yet thy greatness shall live on. For it shall be my purpose, to remember all thou hast done for us." 

"Give the credit to Knight Artorias," Thalia told her, "I need no greatness nor do I want it. I just want to go home." Thalia sighed as she closed her eyes after leaving Dusk's side."

"And home Thou shall go," Elizabeth nodded (or well gave what passed for a nod, "Use the fire and travel home. It will return you to your proper time and thou-!"

Suddenly a howl sounded and a grey colored wolf came racing into the sanctuary. "Sif?" Thalia asked as the wolf managed to stop herself in time to sit before Thalia and Thalia smiled as she knelt down and reached out to pet the great wolf. "Good to see that you are alright." Thalia said as she began to pet the wolf. Hearing the wolf whimper and noticing the saddened look the wolf gave, Thalia felt her heart breaking before she placed a knee upon the ground and reached over to pull the wolf into a bittersweet hug, which Sif attempted to return in her own way as she whined. "Guard Artorias's grave big girl and one day we will meet again. Even if I don't remember you...we will meet again." Thalia promised as she struggled to hold back tears as she held the wolf close. "I promise." Sif continued to whine with a heartbroken sound as Thalia pulled away now. "Thank you my friend." Thalia smiled as she felt her tears begin to shed as she leaned forward to place a kiss upon the wolf's head before she stood and walked over to the bonfire while Sif sat and watched her with more whines escaping. "I'll miss you." Thalia said before closing her eyes and, holding out her hand over the bonfire, she willed herself to return to Firelink Shrine. But as she felt the smoke wrap around her to take her back to the Shrine, a heartbroken howl was heard as the last thing Thalia would ever hear from that time. _We will meet again Sif... But I will not know you though you will know me..._

***

"She **_WHAT?!_**" Wuldric snarled Towards Arkon as Solaire and Xiana watched the two Knights carefully as all four stood in Firelink Shrine. He was not taking well to the fact that Thalia had pulled a stupid move and his worry was now through the roof, but then again **_NONE_** of them were. 

"She approached the dark floating object and was dragged into it by some kind of large deformed hand," Arkon explained once more as Wuldric wondered just what had gotten into Thalia to cause her to do something so reckless. 

"Why does she always have to make things so diff-huh?" Wuldric and everyone turned towards the bonfire as the sound of it hissing and spiting captured their attention and caused them to see Thalia appearing soon after. 

**_"THALIA!"_** She heard four voices cry out but even though she looked their way, she only turned and walked away leaving them all confused.

"Sister?" Wuldric wondered as he watched her leave the area. Turning to the others, they seemed to also share his confusion as they all turned back to watch Thalia disappear from sight. 

"What's gotten into her?" Xiana inquired as she began to worry about Thalia. 

"I do not know, but I intend to discover the reason behind it," Wuldric spoke as he followed after Thalia leaving the three others behind. When Wuldric finally caught up to Thalia, it was in the ruins of the coliseum and he noticed that Thalia was kneeling near the body of the deceased Sif and he noticed that Thalia was petting the large wolf's head. 

"She knew me..." Thalia said upon hearing the armor of her brother walking up to her. "When Arkon and I came here so I could gain the use of the Covenant of Artorias to allow me to go after the four kings, Sif pinned me to the ground. and was preparing to attack me but she stopped upon smelling my scent."

"Sif was a loyal wolf, She knew the scents of everyone of Anor Londo. It could be that she didn't attack you because you smelled like someone she knew from there."

Thalia shook her head, "She **_KNEW_** me, brother," Thalia felt tears threatening to rise up once more and closed her eyes in the attempt to prevent them from falling but that failed miserably when she told Wuldric **_EVERYTHING_** (or well most of everything, she left out the part with the dark blue dragon speaking to her) that had happened when she had been dragged through that dark portal. "I saved her... and in turn she aided me in the fight...and after I returned Dusk to...After I returned the Princess to the Sanctuary, I was preparing to leave when Sif came to find me..." Thalia felt the tears rolling down her cheeks now. "She remembered me and was trying to **_STOP_** me because she didn't want to lose me like she lost Artorias..." Wuldric didn't know what to say in this moment, but there was also nothing he **_COULD_** say about what he learned now. Closing his eyes, Wuldric sighed before drawing closer to his sister who was now full on crying and, kneeling down, he pulled her close as she sobbed at the fact that Sif had been trying to stop her from dooming herself. Hugging her as tightly as he dare, he let Thalia cry for as long as she needed while being the support she needed in this moment of weakness. If either of them had been paying attention, they would have sworn they felt two separate, and unseen, gazes watching them from somewhere just beyond the gravestone both with sorrow as Thalia cried until she was too tired to cry anymore. 

_"Come on,"_ Wuldric whispered as he gently scooped Thalia up into his arms, _"Let's get you back to Firelink. There is nothing more left for you here."_ He felt her curl closer to him as he turned away from the body of the wolf and silently, he began walking away from that place as Thalia fell into a dreamless slumber.


	30. Twenty-nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those wondering: THIS chapter is Wuldric’s reaction to Solaire being Thalia’s lover. Things are about to get interesting.

Solaire felt tiny in that moment as Wuldric studied him carefully. Normally he wouldn't be so unnerved by a Silver Knight, but **_this_** Silver Knight scared him to near-death for one **_MAJOR_** reason: Wuldric was Thalia's eldest brother and was, understandably, protective of Thalia in many ways. "Wuldric please..." Thalia, who was standing near Arkon, begged her brother who was drawing near to Solaire.

”Have no fear sister, I will not harm him.” Wuldric promised as Solaire looked from a worrying Thalia back to the Silver Knight whose suddenly looming presence was _**REALLY**_ starting to unnerve him. ”I only wish to know what his intentions are with you.” He growled as he returned his attention to Solaire. ”So, a Warrior of Sunlight, a follower of Lord Gwyn’s firstborn, has taken an interest in my sister. Tell me, Warrior, what **_ARE_** your intentions with my sister?” 

Solaire felt extremely small under the gaze of the Silver Knight. ”My only intention is to treat her right. To be there for her when she needs someone.” 

Wuldric studied Solaire while Thalia and Arkon looked on, with Arkon having reached out to hold Thalia back as they watched what happened. As much as Thalia wanted to interrupt and beg her brother to stop, she didn’t upon looking at Arkon who shook his head slightly. ”While I only have a _slight_ issue with anyone being with my sister, I can see that you won’t hurt her.” Thalia wondered how Wuldric knew that but kept silent. “Normally as her eldest brother, I wouldn’t be so comfortable with the idea of _**ANYONE**_ being with Thalia, but I can see the way she’s watching us and the worry she holds in her gaze for you. But know this Warrior of Sunlight, if you hurt my sister in _**ANY**_ way,” Solaire knew that this was no threat that Wuldric was giving. It was a promise. ”If she comes to me _**OR**_ even to Arkon in tears and I find out it was because of you, being human and bearing that curse will be the least of your worries.” 

”If she comes to me in tears, Wuldric,” Arkon spoke up now as everyone turned to him. ”Having you hunt him down will be the last thing on his mind.” 

”Arkon?” Thalia inquired as the Black Knight turned his gaze towards her. 

”I’ve told you before Thalia. We share something that none of the others do. A demon’s curse. I don’t want you to fall into the darkness that I felt ’pon my own descent. I may be a Black Knight, but because of our shared curse you are a friend, a _sister_, to me.” Arkon reminded her of what he had said during that ”dream” and Thalia smiled before Arkon turned towards Solaire. ”Remember this, if you harm Thalia and she comes to _me_,” Arkon growled that last word. ”I will have Wuldric informed before I leave to hunt you down, and we Black Knights are excellent hunters especially within the shadows.”

Thalia turned towards Solaire who looked near ready to shit himself as he spoke, ”I will remember your promises Ser Knights.” Solaire responded as Arkon released Thalia who went over to Solaire as the warrior looked to her with a look that told both Wuldric and Arkon all they needed to know as Thalia reached the Warrior. 

”Solaire?” Thalia inquired softly as he watched her with a soft gaze, ”May I speak with you alone for the moment?” she asked him as Solaire nodded before following her. 

Arkon moved over to speak to Wuldric who watched Solaire and Thalia move away to speak, Thalia’s hand within Solaire’s and Arkon smirked. ”If it weren’t for the fact that she is needed to succeed Lord Gwyn, I’d say it would be safe to say you’d be needing to expect some nieces and nephews given time.” 

Wuldric chuckled, ”I’d say so. They would make some beautiful children and I would be proud to be their uncle.” 

Arkon looked to Wuldric then, ”So you expected her to find someone to love?” 

”In a dark world such as ours Brother,” Wuldric turned his gaze towards Arkon then. ”Our sister needs any comfort she can find.” 

”Indeed she does, Brother, indeed she does.” Arkon nodded as both turned to watch as Thalia and Solaire went towards the now empty Church above. ”I have a feeling that due to your approval of him for her, they will soon be joined together.”

”As long as he doesn’t harm her, I won’t mind.” Wuldric smirked then, ”Even if tonight becomes the night that he deflowers her.” 

_**THAT**_ caught Arkon’s attention. ”What?” 

”Our sister is a maiden,” Wuldric smiled now, ”One of the last pure maidens around.” 

Arkon turned back towards where Thalia and Solaire had disappeared to and frowned. ”Then we should make sure they are not disturbed.” 

Wuldric turned to Arkon, ”You would be better then I to ensure that. I will patrol around the burg.” 

”Lower?” 

”That’s the only area with the old tavern. Thalia has a room there.” 

Arkon smirked, ”Then to the shadows I go. I will make sure that they reach the tavern undisturbed.” 

”And I will go on patrol,” Wuldric frowned then. ”Siefer...” 

”What about that coward?” Arkon almost growled the word as Wuldric turned and explained what he had learned from the older Silver Knight. 

”When and who did he learn that from?”

”I don’t know the answer to either of those and it angers me,” Wuldric turned away as Arkon noted the flash of red from Wuldric’s eyes. 

”I will keep watch from the shadows.” 

”And while on my Patrol I will see if I cannot find any other Black Knights.” Wuldric turned to begin his patrol. 

”Is that wise?”

”Do we have any other choice? Until our sister takes her last step into the Kiln, she needs all the protection she can have.” 

”And your willing to find other Black Knights to aid with that? To defy Siefer?”

”As far as I am concerned, the only Knight who is my superior is you Arkon. Siefer is, as you put it, a coward. You were always better then he.” With that Wuldric left and Arkon smiled. 

_I always knew that Wuldric had a good head on his shoulders._ Arkon turned and began to walk away to keep Thalia and Solaire from being bothered. _He will make a fine leader, one day. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So apparently I went a little wild with this story... was not expecting it to be already be 30 chapters long with the posting of this chapter. And yet still more chapters to go! The next chapter will be a special little treat for you all. As of too what it will be, I’ll leave it to your imaginations but here’s a hint: it involves Solaire and Thalia (and a lot of steaminess *winks*)


	31. Thirty (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut.

Thalia looked towards Solaire who had removed his helm upon their entrance to the old church. ”The last time I was here it was to ring the bell.” 

”And I was here to aid you,” Solaire smiled warmly as he reached up to touch her cheek. “Was what Arkon said true? Are you cursed beyond the undead curse?” 

”I am,” Thalia sighed as she closed her eyes and lowered her head. “When I chose to be a... when I chose to help the Fair Lady and started using the chaos pyromancies... I...” She felt Solaire place his hand under her chin and lifted it up so he could look into her eyes.

”Thalia,” Solaire studied her carefully before leaning forward and kissing her softly. It was such a gentle kiss and Thalia couldn’t help but return it. When he pulled away he studied her carefully before noticing that her hair was longer than before. “Your hair is longer,” he pointed out as he picked some of it up to show her. 

”I’ll have to cut it again,” Thalia commented as he frowned. 

”I like it like this,” he told her as she smiled as she turned towards him. “But there was a reason I asked to come here.”

”I did wonder why you wanted to come here.” 

”I wanted to ask you something.” He told her as he smiled softly. “Something that I feel should be addressed now, while I still have you.”

”Oh?” 

Solaire nodded, “I know this is sudden and unexpected but I wish to take you as my bride. To take you as the only woman I will ever love. For you to allow me to be your husband and to be the man who will be at your side until the end of this journey. Will you be my bride?” 

“Solaire...” Thalia was speechless. She would have never imagined that she would be lucky enough to be loved, but to be asked by someone who _**DID**_ love her to marry them was shocking. “Of course I will.” Thalia smiled as Solaire swore his heart squeezed unnaturally hard. 

With another smile, Solaire leaned forward and kissed her but this time, after she returned the kiss, Solaire unconsciously deepened the kiss. Pulling away, Solaire found himself placing his hands upon her hips as she wrapped her arms around his neck. ”I should get you back to the inn.” 

”Stay the night with me?” Thalia inquired as he smiled and kissed her again. 

”Of course.” Solaire smiled as he picked up his helm and carried it under his arm as they walked out of the church with his free hand within the one she had offered to him. As they walked, Thalia found it a bit odd with how quiet it was this night but if she were to guess, she would say she very well likely had Arkon to thank for that. While she couldn’t see him, she could sense his presence but wisely chose to ignore him so as not to alert Solaire to Arkon. Smiling warmly, Thalia and Solaire spoke softly as they walked towards the inn, where something more then just a restful night's sleep was about to take place. Upon reaching the inn, Solaire opened the door for her and Thalia entered with him close behind. Stopping to place his helm on a table, Solaire watched as Thalia waited for him by the stairs. Seeing an opportunity, Solaire went over to her and placed a hand upon her hip as she raised a hand to rest it on his cheek. ”How did I ever become so lucky?” 

”What do you mean?” Thalia inquired as they kissed softly. 

”To find my sun where I least expected to find her,” Solaire smiled as he rested his forehead upon hers. ”I thought I would find it someplace else but all along it was you.” His eyes closed as Thalia’s eyes closed as well. For several moments they were content to stand there by the stairs before pulling away to kiss. ”I love you, my dear huntress.”

”And I love you my incandescent sun,” Thalia smiled as Solaire pulled away to look her over before walking over to take his helm from where it rested, ”Let's get to bed,” she told him as he turned back to her and followed her up the stairs. When they arrived at the room, Thalia entered first with Solaire closing the door behind him but after he set his helm down a sudden desire overcame him and he looked towards Thalia who was removing the daggers from her belt, before she removed her bow from her back as well as set down her quiver, before she scratched the back of her head. 

”Come here, my huntress,” Solaire smiled as she turned to him with a confused look before doing as he said. It was as she moved closer to him that he noticed just how naturally beautiful she was in the softer light of the moon. As if she were truly born to hunt during the moonlight hours. As she stepped into the moonlight, her dark blue hair almost danced with the way the light caressed it; her pale skin was seemingly paler while still looking natural; her blue eyes, which always changed from dark to light blue depending on how much light was around her, seemingly sat at the perfect balance between the two variations with just the tiniest purple tint due to the slightly visible red ring upon the outer part of her irises. Upon her reaching him, Solaire lifted a hand and brushed it gently along her cheek. ”Truly a beautiful huntress.” He said as he leaned forward and let his lips brush gently against hers. As they kissed several times over it soon lead to something sparking within them both. Something Solaire had felt before and that Thalia was only NOW feeling (a feeling she was unsure of yet somehow knew that it was a good thing). Kissing deeply for a brief moment, Solaire pulled away to begin kissing from her lips, down along her left jaw and onto the sensitive skin of her neck. 

Feeling a rather pleasant shiver run down her spine, Thalia wrapped her arms around Solaire’s neck and felt his arms wrap around her waist as he pulled her close. ”Solaire...” she managed as he began to nip gently at her throat. 

”You are not aware of the power you hold over me are you?” He inquired as his lips ghosted over her jaw. ”My huntress... My dear, dear, Huntress...” he kissed her lips and this time it was Thalia who deepened it. Pulling away after a while, Solaire looked into her eyes and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. ”My huntress... Please...” he was nearly begging her for something now, ”allow me this night to show you what a man can do for the woman he loves...” he pulled her as close as he could without hurting her and she shivered as she felt the reason why he was asking such a thing. ”Allow me to take you into my arms and join with you. To become one with you this night.” 

Thalia could not refuse, she could feel the reason he wanted to join with her. His _need_ was very apparent. ”I will allow you, and only you, to claim me. To lay with me this night.” Thalia responded as she felt him shiver with relief. ”But do be gentle, You will be my first.” 

”Always,” Solaire smiled as he pulled away to begin undoing his bracers. ”I will always be gentle with you unless you ask otherwise.” he promised as he removed his bracers while she removed her gloves. But soon he stopped her from removing other parts of her armor and began to slowly remove it for her while her fingers deftly removed his sword belt. Slowly, piece by piece, their armors were removed, leaving them in only their pants, shirts and boots, but even those found themselves being removed as Solaire moved Thalia towards the bed as he kissed her deeply. Thalia felt the cool air of the night kissing her battle-scarred skin as she soon found herself in nothing but her breastband and underpants. Solaire, for his part, caressed her pale skin with the most feather-light touches before kissing her and encouraging her to lay down. ”There are no words to describe how beautiful you are to me,” he told her as he kissed along her jaw, down to her neck and stopping at her collarbone while one of his hands slid along her side before stopping at where her underpants started. ”What I am about to do will feel strange,” he told her softly as he kissed her, ”But I must do it to ensure you will be able to handle me. Your first time should be pleasurable, not painful even though there likely will be a little pain.” 

The fact that Solaire was taking her comfort in mind and was being truly mindful of the fact that he was going to be her first, made some part of Thalia’s heart melt. ”I understand,” she nodded as he kissed her while slipping his fingers under her underpants to find the entrance to her core. 

He barely needed to touch her to know that she _**wanted**_ him. Kissing her gently before nipping along her jaw, he parted her lower lips and slowly slid a finger into her causing her breath to catch slightly. While there was no pain from it, Thalia did note that it felt strange just like he said it would. Giving her time to adjust to the feeling, Solaire waited a few moments before beginning to move his finger slowly in and out of her. Even though she was so willing to do this with him, Solaire would take his time and see to it that she was prepared before he would dare enter her in full. Kissing her neck, Solaire soon added another finger into her and she shivered yet made no move to stop him. Taking that as a good sign, Solaire soon found his thumb rubbing at the bundle of sensitive nerves that were there to stimulate her into an orgasm, he rubbed the pad of his thumb upon it and soon Thalia struggled to contain any noise as her hands began to claw into the sheets beneath her. Keeping his one hand busy with her core, Solaire watched her squirm underneath his movements before reaching up with his free hand to remove her breastband and flung it to wherever her shirt lay as he took one of her breasts within his free hand while the other found itself being attended to by his mouth. Before long Thalia was a writhing mess under him as she felt herself drawing ever closer to her first orgasm. Her hands, which had finally been freed from the blankets, clawed at his back as he continued to do what he needed. She felt him free her breasts as he began to kiss from them and up to her throat before he swiftly removed his hand from her core almost causing her to whine before she found herself as bare to him as the day she had been born into this life. Feeling his kisses trail down, she was preparing to ask him what he was doing when he replaced his fingers (adding one more this time) and returned to slowly (now almost torturously so) pushing and pull them in and out of her. Solaire, for the most part, watched her for any signs of discomfort but all that was revealed to him was how she held back her moans as he continued using his fingers upon her. Suddenly he nudged her legs apart further before he knelt at the edge of the bed and did something she wasn’t expecting: He flicked his tongue along her entrance and she shivered. He let out a soft moan of his own as his member grew harder. With just that little flick, he had gotten a taste of her and, to him, her juices tasted like heaven. Continuing this pattern of licking at her and using his hand to stimulate her, it wasn’t long before she began to beg him for more. Smirking, Solaire began to go harder and faster with his fingers until she was nothing but a panting mess ready to cry out his name upon her first orgasm which was swift to follow as his fingers felt her clamp down upon then. Curling his fingers, he felt her body shudder as she cried out his name and he lapped at her while pumping his fingers to extend her orgasm. Pulling away, Solaire kissed along her stomach and up to her breasts which he lavished with a little bit of extra attention before making his way up to her mouth which eagerly awaited him. 

Even though the thought of ever tasting herself upon anyone had disgusted her original, she was hard-pressed to think that with Solaire. In truth, she was hard-pressed to find nearly anything he did to her now as wrong. It just felt..._right_...in all the best ways possible. Feeling him pull away as she recovered from her haziness, she watched as he removed his own smallclothes before he returned to her and kissed her several times over. ”This will hurt I am afraid,” he whispered softly. ”As I am your first and the first time usually involves a small amount of pain even when the maiden is properly prepared.” he told her softly as he aligned himself with her but waited for a moment. 

”Please Solaire...” she whimpered as he kissed her. 

Spreading her lower lips, he eased himself into her core and shuddered as he felt just how tight she was. ”By the sun!” he moaned as he forced his eyes to open so he could keep an eye on her face. ”It is as if you were made for me, my huntress.” he whispered before finally sheathing himself within her fully. Holding himself still, he struggled to not move as he allowed her to adjust (he had heard a slight hiss escape her but still she had not stopped him) to his length. Feeling her pull at him, Solaire soon began to kiss her as he slid slowly out before pushing back in as she moaned at the sensation of him dragging in and out of her, but for reasons she could not name, it felt as if he were going too slow for her and she pleaded with him, _**begged**_ him, to go harder and faster, and he was more then happy to comply. As he kissed at her, she clawed at his back. As he groaned, she moaned. Soon, she felt him thrusting in and out of her at a pace that could nearly be described as brutal, yet she found herself enjoying it. Suddenly, he pulled her up as he sat up, and she found herself riding him as they kissed, bit and left marks upon each other. 

”Solaire...” Thalia whimpered as he too felt himself nearing his end. 

”Release yourself, Thalia,” He told her as his thumb found her sensitive bundle of nerves and began to rub at it to draw her closer to her own end as well. ”Let yourself go my huntress.” he commanded her as she suddenly gripped his broad shoulders and suddenly cried out as yet another orgasm ripped through her, causing her walls to clamp down around his hard member. Feeling unable to hold back he let out his own matching cry of her name as he thrust hard within her one last time before suddenly releasing within her, coating the walls of her womb with his hot seed over and over as he rode out his own orgasm. When he finally stilled, both he and Thalia were out of breath and panting heavily, yet seeing her so flushed and knowing that he was the cause stirred something within Solaire. Something he had not felt since long before all this began but this time, he knew it would not lead him astray. ”My dear huntress...” he whispered as he gently laid her down upon the bed before removing himself from her. 

Turning to look into his eyes, the pureness of the love Thalia saw there nearly melted her heart and the tender kiss she gave to him nearly melted his. Due to all the fighting that they participated in, and the fact that their activities had worn them both out, the kisses they shared held no desire but instead held nothing but the young and still newly bloomed love they had for each other. ”I love you, my incandescent sun.” Thalia whispered in return as Solaire smiled. His long blonde hair, which was usually tied back with something akin to a hide string, soon fell forward as he smiled down upon her before he pulled the blankets over them both. 

Pulling her close, Solaire felt Thalia nuzzle him a little and kissed the top of her head. ”Sleep, my huntress. I will still be here when you awaken.” he promised as they snuggled together as both fell into a dreamless slumber. And for once, _**BOTH**_ Solaire and Thalia could finally say that their sleep was peaceful and renewing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not my best-done smut chapter but here, have some smut. At least one chapter dedicated to it as we are drawing ever closer to the end.


	32. Thirty-one

A day later found Thalia sitting down at one of the many tables within the Inn and was tending to her bow when the sound of Arkon’s boots echoed as he came to sit in one of the other chairs. ”So it would seem that Wuldric is going to have a brother-in-law soon?” 

Not looking up from the bow she was cleaning, Thalia nodded, ”Indeed.” 

”A little soon for it don’t you think?” 

”Maybe,” Thalia told him as she squinted at the bow. ”Is that what I think it is?” she wondered as Arkon looked from her to the bow and held out his hand.

”Let me see,” Thalia picked up the bow carefully and handed it over to Arkon for his inspection of it. ”Appears so. Might want to invest in a new one. A crack like that is a bad sign.” 

”A new one what?” Wuldric’s voice echoed over to them as Arkon handed Thalia her bow back. 

”The black bow I use has a crack in it.” Thalia responded as Wuldric came up to them as Solaire also finally appeared. 

”Really?” Wuldric finished his approach and Thalia handed the bow to him and he frowned. ”This bow is the Black Bow of Pharis. How did...?”

”I get it?” Thalia finished for him as Wuldric nodded. ”Apparently, Pharis decided to try and fill me with arrows from the shadows but I won out in that with a lucky shot.” 

”So you took it as a trophy?” 

”Sort of.” Thalia frowned, ”When I went to question her about why she was trying to kill me she only shook her head and handed the bow to me and told me that she’s been looking for someone to pass it onto for several years.” 

”And she just gave it to you?”

”Yes. Though why I still don't understand but not much I can do about it.” 

”Pharis always was strange,” Wuldric shook his head. ”I knew her for several years and even I cannot say what went through her mind.”

Thalia watched her brother as he handed the bow back. “Did you ever tell her of me?”

Wuldric frowned before nodding, “It was only once but I only told her of you when you were still a child. Why?” 

”Because when she and I spoke, she told me that I ”looked exactly like how Wuldric described” before she walked away or well slipped off the cliff is more like it.” 

”She slipped?” 

”Yes, and I couldn’t reach her in time to grab ahold of her to prevent her from falling to her death. Though...I did see an odd look in her eyes as she fell...” 

“An odd look?”

Thalia nodded as Solaire sat next to her in another chair. ”It was...” Thalia wasn’t sure how to word the look that Pharis had given her. ”Like she was at some form of peace yet also seemed to be worried.” 

”How so?” 

”I’m not sure. Before I could read any more of her expression she vanished beyond my sight.” Thalia told Wuldric who sighed. 

Arkon, for his mostly silent part, was frowning. ”Thalia?”

”Yes?”

”There is something I’ve been wondering about you.”

”I can answer most questions though there are a few I’d rather avoid at all.”

”I won’t asked anything about your family if that's what you mean,” Arkon smiled, ”I already know about Wuldric.” Wuldric looked towards Arkon who smirked at him in a teasing way. ”But I’m more curious about you and your friend Xiana.” 

”What about her and me?” Thalia inquired as Arkon studied her with a scrutinizing gaze. 

”How did you two met?” Everyone watched Thalia now as she sighed. 

”Xiana and I met after I left Carim after...” Thalia closed her eyes and shook her head. ”I was in a very bad state of mind when she and I met. I was at a...” Thalia looked for the right words to describe the place that she and Xiana had originally met. ”Well there really is no good way to describe the place we met other than a Den of Thieves. I had only recently joined the group of thieves there and Xiana was...transferring... over to that group.” She could feel Wuldric’s withering gaze fall upon her at the mention of her having joined a group of thieves and knew that she was very likely never going to hear the end of it once her story was finished. ”Upon her arrival, Xiana took one look at me and...” 

”According to Thalia she will say I ”pestered” my way into her company, but that’s only half the truth.” Xiana said as she entered the inn as everyone turned to see her walking in with an armful of scrolls. 

”Do you need help?” 

”No, I’m good!” Xiana smiled as Thalia gave an unamused look. ”Okay I do...” 

Thalia sighed before she shook her head and stood to help her friend. ”Anyway. Xiana looked at me and soon decided that there was something about me she liked. After a while we began working together, one of us acting as a lookout while the other picked locks and we always robbed people blind.” Thalia could feel Wuldric’s gaze turn even more withering and knew that she _**REALLY**_ had more than an earful coming once this story was done.

”What made you stop?” Arkon inquired as Thalia looked towards Xiana, who in turn nodded.

”The Night that Xiana and I were headed to Carim. That night we stopped in a cave, I left to do a bit of fishing and far from the cave, there were two knights, One from Carim and the other from Astora. I overheard them talking about me. Being how I am, curiosity overwhelmed me and I climbed into a tree to gain a better view of the knights and listened in on their conversations. As they spoke, the spoke of the Snatchers, the Channelers as you would know them, having visited my grandmother's estate in Carim because they were looking for me.” Thalia swore she heard Arkon growl something under his breath as his eyes flashed red. ”Eventually the knights turned their conversation towards a group of Silver Knights that were also looking for me. After the two knights left, I went on to fish and upon my return to the cave, which Xiana had lit a fire in, to discover that it was dark. I found out just how close of a call you had with us Wuldric.” Thalia turned to her brother who frowned. 

”I was that close?” Thalia and Xiana both nodded as Wuldric frowned. 

”When I heard the approach of footsteps I put the fire out quickly so it wouldn’t draw your attention. Had I know it was you Wuldric, I would have left it.” Xiana frowned as Wuldric shook his head. 

”No it was best you put it out when you did. My group and I ran into the Channelers shortly thereafter as they believed that they were drawing close to both of you.” 

”Then I guess it was a good thing that we left that cave completely after my return, huh Xiana?” Thalia shook her head as Xiana agreed.

”Indeed. If the Channelers were that close as well...” Xiana frowned. ”I have to say that I would have rather dealt with your brother and the other Silver Knights then fight with the Snatchers, especially considering that you really didn’t have any real skill with the dagger you had on your belt or any weapon for that matter, at the time.” 

Arkon frowned, ”It was good thinking on your part to leave that cave. What happened with the Channelers, Wuldric?” 

”We killed as many as we could as they started the fight first but one of them got away and he was injured.” Wuldric explained as Xiana gasped.

”That must have been the Channeler we saw while we hid in the underbrush, Thalia!” 

”It could very well have been.” Thalia frowned as she thought that over.

”What happened to him?” Wuldric inquired as Thalia turned her gaze towards him. 

”Xiana put him out of his misery by striking from the shadows where he least expected her to come from.” 

Xiana spoke up there, ”When Thalia told me of what she had learned of the Snatchers and of you and your group trying to find her, I figured it to be safer than sorry and cut him down before he spotted her.” 

”That would explain why we found his corpse.” Wuldric nodded his approval before he turned to look at Thalia who yawned after she sat back down. ”You and I, dear sister, are going to have a long talk later on.” 

”I figured so. I could feel the looks you were giving me.” Thalia responded as she looked towards Wuldric. ”Why do I feel like there's a ”but” coming?” 

”Because there is. While I can understand the fact that you were in a bad position. I am just glad you are alright now.” Thalia smiled as Wuldric placed a hand upon her shoulder and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze with the others watching. If the group hadn’t known about Wuldric being Thalia’s family in whatever way he was, the two humans would have thought there was something more to the duo while Arkon would have wondered something else. 

Arkon was well aware that Silver Knights could change. He had seen it happen before. He and several others had become Black Knights, lordless and alone, while a different Silver Knight by the name of Ledo had disappeared for several years only to reappear having changed physically. _All these changes that happen to us...It’s always physical. I wonder why_. Arkon studied Wuldric closely, while the Silver Knight was younger then he, Arkon could _**SEE**_ that he was changing slowly. _It's barely noticeable but it is there. He’s physically changing._ It was honestly barely noticeable to anyone else but Arkon had a sharp eye and with a quick glance over he could see what the others did not notice. Glancing over towards Thalia, Arkon took notice that _**SHE**_ was physically changing as well. He could see the changes that had already taken places such as her hair, the strange tattoo-like marking upon her eye and the strange new leather armor that was blackened thanks to the demon’s curse that wrestled with her soul now. But upon looking closer at her, Arkon noticed something else. Where the faintest hint of red color ringed her irises reaching slowly and nearly invisible were tiny hints of black tendrils and he frowned. _Black tendrils within her eyes? What could that be a sign of?_ Arkon frowned as he noted that Thalia seemed to be slightly off compared to what he had noticed was normal for her. _I will need to speak to her alone as soon as possible. Something isn’t sitting right with me about those odd tendrils._

”...Arkon?” Thalia inquired catching the Black Knight's attention. 

”Hmm?” 

”Can I speak with you for a moment, outside?” 

”Of course.” Arkon nodded as he and Wuldric exchanged worried glances before Arkon followed Thalia outside. ”Whats the matter?” he inquired as soon as they were outside of hearing range. 

Thalia turned to lean against a wall and told him what was bothering her, ”...I wasn’t sure who else to turn to about it...” 

Arkon thought over what she told him carefully before he began to speak. ”When did you notice it first start?” 

”This morning when I first sat down to tend to my bow.” 

Arkon frowned as he allowed that information to roll around in his mind. ”What it sounds like to me is a Darkness that is not borne of the demons. I’m afraid that I might not be able to help you with that form of darkness, Thalia.” 

”Well, if anything speaking of it to someone makes me feel a little better. Though not by much...” Thalia looked away with sadness as Arkon looked to her worriedly before a thought struck him. 

”I may not be able to help you with the darkness that clings to you that is not borne of the demons. But I can make you a promise.”

”A promise?” Thalia looked to Arkon with confusion as he nodded. 

”Indeed. This darkness you described to me sounds like something an old friend of mine used to deal with. It sounds like the darkness of the Abyss. I cannot help you with it, but the promise I can make to you is something that I feel you would ask of me if it worsened,” Arkon told her as she understood then. 

”If it ever worsened I would expect you to do whatever was necessary to ensure I would not become a threat to anyone.” Thalia told him. ”But...I can’t say why, but I have a terrible feeling that something is going to happen soon.” 

”Oh?” 

”Yes. Maybe not to me per se, but _**SOMETHING**_ is going to happen.”

”And it worries you?” 

”Indeed.” 

Arkon thought over what she was telling him and frowned. ”I will be here for you every step of the way. Even if I must return to the Kiln with you.” 

”Would that be wise? What if-?” 

”I am a Black Knight, sister. I am lordless. If any form of the former Lord Gwyn is there, it is not the Lord I once served. As far as I am concerned _**YOU**_ are the only one who matters.” 

”That surprisingly doesn’t make me feel better.” Thalia sighed. ”But...what if I fail to link the fire? What if...” 

”Even if you fail or are prevented from Linking the flame, my promise to stop you if this...Abyssal darkness...takes hold and steals you from this world will hold true.” 

”Thank you Arkon.” 

”You are welcome-!” Arkon’s head snapped to the left and he motioned for her to draw closer. ”Get behind me. Another black knight is drawing near!” He growled as Thalia did as told. Normally she would attempt to stand her ground against a black knight, but she didn’t have either her dagger or her bow with her and so decided to wisely stand closer to Arkon who prepared his sword and shield. Watching carefully, Thalia saw that Arkon’s words rang true and a Black Knight came walking into the area they were standing in. Unlike Arkon who wielded just a normal ”Black Knight sword” this one held a rumored ”Black Knight greatsword” and Thalia nearly stepped back with fright. 

_A black knight with a black greatsword?! Arkon was right to tell me to get behind him_. Thalia watched the as the other knight came towards them as Arkon stood defending her. _I had more than enough trouble facing Arkon when he was crazed with the curse the demons placed upon him. A Black Knight with a greatsword is not something I can handle alone._

”Halt and identify yourself.” Arkon growled as the other knight studied him upon stopping before turning his gaze towards Thalia and locked eyes with her.

”I am...”


	33. Thirty-two

Thalia watched the Black Knight who wielded a greatsword as carefully as he watched her. ”I came because of Wuldric. I wished to see the human woman he claims as a sister for myself. I am pleased to see that I am not disappointed.” 

Arkon still stood before Thalia and moved to stand directly in front of her and blocked her from the other black knight’s view. ”I know you well, Idhelm. Why have you really come to find my Lady?” Thalia looked to Arkon in surprise but said nothing due to the pure shock that was present upon him calling her ”my Lady”. 

”So you are no longer Lordless?” 

”I am not. Until the day Thalia goes to the Kiln to link the First Flame, she is my priority.” Arkon told the other knight who tilted his head slightly before he removed his greatsword from his shoulder and rested the tip of the blade upon the stone beneath his feet before speaking. 

”Whatever you believe I am here for, Arkon, sir, my purpose is different. I am here to offer something to your Lady.” Idhelm spoke as Thalia raised a brow in confusion while Arkon frowned. ”If I may?” he asked as Thalia looked to Arkon who reluctantly moved out of the way and nodded towards Thalia as she stepped forward to study the newly arrived Black Knight who studied her properly. 

”What is your offer then, Black Knight?” Thalia inquired as Idhelm lowered his head and took to a knee, shocking her and surprising Arkon who would have never believed this if he wasn’t seeing it for himself. He had never known Idhelm to ever kneel before anyone, let alone their former Lord Gwyn, yet here was the other Black Knight kneeling before a human woman who had no idea what he was doing. 

”I ask to serve you, Sister of Silver Knight Wuldric. I was witness to the awakening of your ancient bloodline from the tower near the Parish and I seek to fight in your name and at your side until my death.” 

Arkon turned to Thalia as she thought over Idhelm’s offer. But before he could speak, Thalia spoke up. ”Rise Black Knight Idhelm. I accept your offer and will gladly accept your aid.” With that Idhelm rose and lifted his sword to place it back on his shoulder. 

”It won’t be long before the others who still live make their way to find you, my Lady. The only ones who won’t are the two that are in the Asylum.” Idhelm told her as Thalia looked towards Arkon. 

”They were too far gone.” Arkon frowned as Idhelm watched him. ”As soon as they saw me they attacked.” 

”I see. But there are still a few others who will make their way to find our Lady.” Idhelm shook his head before turning to Thalia. ”It would be wise to decide who they should answer too upon their arrival.” 

”I would say Arkon would be the wisest choice,” Wuldric’s voice sounded causing everyone to turn towards him to see him walking up. 

”Brother?” Thalia inquired as Wuldric came to stop beside her. But it was at that moment she realized that his cape was missing. ”Where’s your?” 

”I abandoned it. Seifer's motives have finally forced me to take action.” 

”What did he do?” Arkon growled as Wuldric sighed

”He’s looking for Thalia and not for good reasons.” 

”What do you mean?” 

”He’s hunting her.” 

”What?!” Thalia nearly cried as Idhelm and Arkon tensed up. ”But...why? What have I ever done to him?” 

”It's because of your dragon blood,” Wuldric frowned as he looked to her. ”He found some old sealed orders that were to be opened upon Lord Gwyn's death. In the orders, it was described to Seifer on what exactly should happen to you upon your arrival to Lordran.” 

”But...I’ve never done anything to the royal family. Why am I being hunted?” 

Arkon spoke then, ”All dragons but one are considered enemies to the Royal family all because of the Firstborn.” 

”The Firstborn? What did he do?” 

Arkon frowned but it was Wuldric who spoke, ”There’s no point in keeping it a secret, Arkon. None of us are bound to Lord Gwyn anymore.”

”True.” Arkon agreed before turning to Thalia and explaining what had happened. 

”So that's what happened...” Thalia looked away to absorb what she had just learned before shaking her head. ”But I don’t understand what that has to do with me.” 

Wuldric frowned and sighed before saying more about the orders. 

”...But...Grandmother wasn’t there... I SAW her death...”

Wuldric frowned, ”What do you mean?”

Thalia looked towards the ground, _Wasn’t expecting the past to catch up but it has..._ ”Grandmother died saving me...” With that Thalia told all present exactly how her grandmother had died and to hear what happened shocked Wuldric. ”...if I...” 

”So it was a dragon fight... And all this time I never knew that she was a dragon.” 

Thalia looked towards Wuldric, ”Believe me I didn’t either until that day.”

Wuldric looked towards Thalia now. ”What color were they?” 

”Black for the other dragon, sapphire blue for grandmother.” 

Wuldric looked shocked now, ”Blue? But that's the color of the dragon we’ve seen you call forth.” 

”I know and I’m not sure why she’s blue, it's not a color I normally associate with myself personally,” Thalia sighed as she went to lean against the wall with Idhelm taking up a position near her to keep watch. Thalia could already tell that he was going to take his new duty to her beyond seriously and she found herself appreciating that. 

”If I may, my Lady?” Idhelm spoke up as Thalia nodded. ”I see most anything as blue as a sign of a kind and Loyal heart. So if you can call forth a blue dragon in any form I feel more then honored to serve you.” 

”Thank you Idhelm, that means much to me.” Thalia told the black knight who nodded before returning to his watch. 

Wuldric watched with a slight smile. _If she didn’t have to sacrifice herself to the first flame, she would make an excellent ruler and I’m sure Arkon and the Black Knights would be better suited to being the honor guard she would need as a ruler._

”Wuldric?” Arkon knew the look Wuldric had very well. 

”Just a straying thought.” Wuldric told him as Thalia watched the horizon. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Yes, I introduced a new named Black Knight. he’s based off that Black Knight wielding a greatsword (fucker suicided on me and didn’t even drop his greatsword the bastard T-T) in that one tower near the Undead Parish beyond the bridge drake.
> 
> 2) I will be exploring that ”straying thought” Wuldric has at the end of this chapter, it will be a ”one-shot” so if you would like to have a named Silver/Black Knight then comment below the name you would like. I WILL NOT accept outrageous names.


	34. Thirty-three

Thalia sat at the bonfire in Firelink and frowned before shaking her head and standing to walk down the stairs towards the firekeeper, who she stopped at and knelt before. ”Anastacia?” The woman in question looked up upon her name being spoken to see Thalia kneeling before her prison. ”I have something for you.” reaching into a pouch, Thalia pulled out a bundle of something and held it out to her and watched as the firekeeper took the bundle. 

”Oh! Chosen! I can’t take this!” 

”Yes you can. I made it specifically with you in mind.” Thalia smiled. ”No matter what you did to be seen as ”impure”, even you deserve to be treated with some decency.” Thalia then reached into another pouch and pulled out a larger bundle and carefully handed that over to the firekeeper as well. ”I apologize that this one isn’t as warm as it should be. But I did make something I think you would enjoy. It was something my grandmother used to make for me when I would feel downcast.” Anastacia opened this bundle carefully to reveal a warm meal and she felt tears prick at her eyes. 

”Thank...thank you.” She bowed her head. ”I am not worthy of your kindness.” 

”Yes you are.” Thalia smiled as the Firekeeper looked up at her and returned the smile softly. ”I wish I could stay longer, but I have to leave to find the last of the lord souls.” 

”Be safe Chosen.” Anastacia told Thalia as Thalia smiled at her. 

”Worry not for me. I will be as careful as I can be.” With that Thalia stood and turned to walk away as the Firekeeper began to eat the meal Thalia had made for her. 

***

A chilly breeze greeted Thalia as she entered the area that led to the ruins of the city once known as New Londo. While it wasn’t as grand as it once was, it was still interesting for her to look upon but then again _**MOST**_ if not all ruins were interesting to her as all ruins had their own stories seeped into their bared bones. Hearing the groans and cries of the Hollows all around her Thalia frowned as she began to walk towards the ruins but stopped halfway along the wooden ”bridge” to reach into a pouch and pulled out something that looked like two white fists clasped together. ” Let's see... She told me to break them like this and I should be able to interact with the ghosts...” grasping the strange-looking hands and ”broke” them in half and felt a shiver run down her spine as something settled upon her and felt oddly queazy for a brief moment. Groaning she began to slightly regret her decision but shook it off as she reached out her hand and focused on calling forth a ”divine” weapon. Feeling something settle within her grasp her hands closed around the hilt of a weapon and opened her eyes to smile. Sitting in her hand now was a Silver Knight sword and she shook her head. The sword itself belonged to Wuldric (who honestly favored the spear) and had been infused with a “divine” trait by a particular blacksmith before she had come down here. While she wasn’t exactly sure why Wuldric had gifted her his sword she was grateful that he had. Compared to her old longsword, this sword was slender and fit her hand better then the longsword had. Reaching back, Thalia pulled a black shield from her back and looked it over. As a gift from Arkon, this shield was called a Black Knight shield and just like the sword, the shield suited her better than her old one (and matched her black leather ”dragon” armor in color alone) but in her mind, while both things were suited for her, they made her look ridiculous. Looking around Thalia frowned, ”I need to find a way to drain all this water.” spotting someone high above upon the roof of a far off building, Thalia raised a brow in confusion. _Maybe he or she can help me by telling me how to drain all this water._ At least Thalia hoped that what that person standing all the way up on that roof could do. As she fought her way towards the building, the shrieks and screams of the ghosts she fought echoed all around her and after her as she banished the ghosts back into their rest. Stopping in a place that allowed her to have some respite from the screeching and fighting, Thalia could help but let her mind wander. What happened here to cause so many restless souls to come back from the dead? Thalia sighed as she closed her eyes but suddenly, as she was preparing to move forward a sharp piercing pain tore through her entire body and she collapsed to a knee with a cry that was a mixture of pain and something else. Digging a clawed gloved hand into the stone beneath her, she barely noticed the sound of the crumbling stone cracking and completely missed the sound of armor rushing in her direction as a voice called out to her. A voice that she did not miss or well whatever was trying to claim ahold of her didn’t miss it as her eyes opened to reveal their new blood-red color. Feeling out of control of herself, Thalia, or rather the thing that had control of her, gripped the hilt of her sword and animalistically swung towards whoever was approaching only for her sword to be parried.

”_**Thalia! Tis I! Arkon!**_” the voice was familiar but Thalia wasn’t in control of herself and so she couldn’t warn him to getaway. She recognized that the voice was correct in saying who he was. Holding his shield up, Arkon studied her after leaping away and just barely caught the pleading look deep within her eyes as she turned to him before whatever was grasping her took control of her once more. It took several moments before he realized what was trying to take full control of her but when it hit him he closed his eyes before rushing her taking her by surprise and as she raised her shield to defend herself, he turned his attack into a shield bash then knocked her unconscious with a hit of his fist once she was staggered. ”Forgive me, Thalia.” he said as he knelt down next to her now unconscious form. Reaching into a pouch where she kept her rings he managed to find the one he was looking for and, freeing her right hand from her glove he slipped the ring onto her middle finger and watched as the ring magically adjusted itself to fit her finger. ”But I needed to do that,” He replaced her glove and frowned upon spotting something dripping from the ”claws”. “That explains where the ghosts went,” he smirked before studying her and lifting her up into his arms to take her to a safer spot while he waited for her to awaken. 

Though it took time, Thalia eventually awoke with a slight groan and Arkon looked towards her with relief. ”Why do I feel like I’ve just be smashed under a ton of bricks?” she groaned as Arkon watched her. 

”Because I had to knock you out for your own safety.” He watched Thalia look up towards him and while she seemed slightly surprised to see him, she also wasn’t. ”That darkness you spoke of that you feared resting within you has finally shown itself.” Thalia looked down to where one of her hands rested upon her lap. ”I can confirm now that it is the darkness of the Abyss.”

”So it will be only a matter of time before I become a threat to all...” Something in Thalia grew sad at that news but Arkon spoke now. 

”Not so long as you wear Artorias’s Covenant ring.”

”What?” Thalia looked up towards the Black Knight who nodded. 

”You know most of his legend correct?” Thalia nodded. ”Do you remember what the legends stated about him?”

”He was known as the Abysswalker.” Thalia looked up towards Arkon. ”But I don't see what his ring has to do with my situation.” 

”Artorias made a deal with the creatures of the Abyss that allowed him to walk within the Abyss. That ring is also able to hold back the darkness of the Abyss within a person.” 

”If that's the case I should find it in my-.” 

”I already found it and placed it upon your right hand on your middle finger.” 

Thalia chuckled then, You thought of everything didn’t you?” 

”Almost,” Arkon smirked as he approached her and knelt down beside her. ”Outside of the clear headache I left you, how are you feeling?” 

”Like shit.” Thalia told him as she watched him set his weapon and shield aside to tend to her head. 

”That’s to be expected when dealing with the abyss.” he told her softly upon finishing with tending her head. 

”So why are you here?”

Arkon looked her over, ”I had a feeling something would happen and I am glad to see I was correct. Idhelm went to retrieve Wuldric as well as the other two Black Knights who have shown up and pledged themselves to you.” 

”More Black Knights?” 

”Indeed. One wields a glaive and the other a Great Axe. Before long others will show as well.” Arkon smiled as he watched her, ”You are gaining quite the following.” 

”At this point, it wouldn’t surprise me if Silver Knights started joining.” 

”Careful what you wish for, Sister.” Wuldric chuckled as Arkon and Thalia looked to see him, Idhelm, the two other Back Knights Arkon had spoken of come walking into the area. But they weren’t the only ones as behind them came four Silver Knights (all with their capes missing as well). ”It might just come true,” He motioned towards the four Silver Knights who stood waiting for commands from him. ”apparently I am not the only one unhappy with Captain Siefer. Many of the other Silver Knights are taking issue with his clear obsession with you and his desire to slay you.” 

”Really?” 

”Yes my Lady,” Another Silver Knight spoke up as he stepped forward. ”Forgive me for speaking out of turn.” 

”There is nothing to forgive,” Thalia stated as She looked to Arkon who stood and offered his hand down to help her stand, which she took gratefully. ”The more I know the better prepared I can be if this Captain Siefer tries to make a move.”

”There will be no trying, he will make a move.” the Silver Knight informed her as everyone listened. ”He was preparing several other Silver Knights when my group and I left.” 

”How many?” Arkon inquired as the Silver Knight frowned. 

”From what I saw at least twenty Silver Knights. Five with bows and arrows the rest a mixture of swords and spears and he’s well aware of your intentions to drain the water from here.”

”How?” Thalia inquired as the Knight shook his head. 

”I wish I knew my Lady. All I know is that someone has been tracking your movements everywhere you go within Lordran. The Dark Sun, Gwyndolin, is against everything Siefer is doing.” 

”Not sure how I feel about having a god on my side instead of against me.”

”Gwyndolin has stated that if Siefer continues on this path Gwyndolin _**WILL**_ give you their full support and sent my brothers and I to come stand with you.” 

”I still don’t see why he’s so against me. My bloodline shouldn’t have anything to do with this either.” 

This time Wuldric spoke. ”Did grandmother ever tell you about your heritage?”

”No and if she ever did I don’t remember it due to this damned Undead Curse stealing my memories away from me slowly.” Thalia sighed as Arkon and Wuldric frowned. 

”If I might inquire? What do you mean Wuldric sir?” 

Wuldric sighed before speaking, ”Thalia is a direct descendant of two separate bloodlines. She is the direct and _**LAST**_ descendant of the ancient and long-forgotten Dragon God as well as a direct descendant of the Furtive Pygmy Lord. Thus in turn, Thalia is the singular most powerful living being to this day even more powerful than Lord Gwyn himself was at the height of the Age of Fire.” 

”Wait! How am I more powerful than Lord Gwyn?” 

Wuldric turned to Thalia and sighed. ”Grandmother never told you anything did she?” 

Thalia shook her head. ”Everything she and my father did was to supposedly protect me.” 

Arkon huffed, ”Not telling you anything important that could one day save your life is a great way to protect you.” 

Wuldric frowned, ”She was likely preparing to tell Thalia about it but with how and when she died it makes me glad she told me.” 

”You lost me Brother,” Thalia frowned now as Wuldric looked her over. 

”Your bloodline has magic that is ancient. Not only do you carry the power of dragons, your soul _**ITSELF**_ is a Lord Soul. You _**ARE**_ a lord but the Dark Sun has seen that you desire to end the Undead Curse and thus as long as your goals are to end the curse and link the flame you will have Gwyndolin on your side.” 

”But...is Gwyndolin one of Gwyn’s children?” 

”Gwyndolin is, but there is a little known secret. You know that painting in Anor Londo?” 

”It was hard to miss.” Thalia nodded as Wuldric looked around at the others before turning back to her. 

”Have you been near enough to the painting to touch it?” the shiver Thalia gave told him that not only had she been close enough to touch it, she likely HAD touched it. ”Then you know within the painting is a woman with dragon-like features.” 

”What about her?” 

”She is Gwyndolin’s half-sister. She is half-dragon and Gwyndolin cares deeply for her. Because of her, Gwyndolin has no issues with those who are descendants of the dragons.”

”Really? She’s the half-sister of Gwyndolin?”

”Indeed. Why?”

”Because when I met her I would have never guessed. She and I spoke upon her sensing my dragon blood before I left her in the painting.” 

”You two spoke?” 

”About a lot of things. She even made the offer for me to live within the painting with her if all else fails.” 

”Would you?” 

”Right now I have no reason. The painting is a place for the unwanted and forlorn. I am neither of those. That and right now my concerns involve finishing with gathering the Soul shard the Four Kings have and now apparently I need to worry about a Silver Knight Captain and his group coming after me.” 

”Not if I can help it.” Wuldric growled low. 

”Wuldric, you can’t protect me from everything.”

”I know but this is something I CAN protect you from.” Looking around he frowned for a moment. ”There’s twenty of them you said?”

”Indeed.” The Silver Knight from before nodded and Wuldric frowned. 

”They greatly outnumber us.”

Arkon looked around and noted that even with him, three other Black Knights, Wuldric and the four new Silver Knights, Wuldric was correct in thinking they were outnumbered but then a thought struck him. ”We might be outnumbered but we also have an advantage they lack.” 

”What do you mean?” Wuldric inquired as it struck Thalia. 

”Wuldric, Arkon and the other three are _**BLACK**_ Knights. Their armor gives them the advantage of being able to hide within the shadows while yours would make you stick out like a sore thumb...” Thalia trailed off as she suddenly turned her gaze out over New Londo. 

”Sister?” 

”I still need to drain the water but perhaps we can use the ruins to our advantage as well.” 

Wuldric looked out over the ruins and soon saw what she was getting at. ”But then the issues rise up with the spirits that linger here.” 

”I have a plan for that as well.” She pulled out the strange-looking item that she had first held and looked up towards him. ”I don’t know what possessed me to buy so many of them. But these will come in handy.” 

”What are they?” 

”Transient Curses. They allow me to interact and banish the ghosts back to their eternal slumber. But something feels wrong with the spirits.” 

”What do you mean?”

”Wuldric think about it. These spirits rise from the water, they scream with rage. Things like that aren’t normal and trust me I’ve been in _**PLENTY**_ of haunted places. Ghosts don’t scream like that unless they’ve been betrayed by those they’ve trusted in life.” 

”Just how well-traveled are you?” Wuldric stared at her as if she were from another time and Thalia smirked.

”More so then you would like to believe.” 

”But the last person to come through New Londo was Sir Artorias-!” Shocked silence filled the air. 

”He likely had a reason and something tells me we will discover that reason as soon as I drain this water. And I have a second feeling that once I do we will need to act quickly.”

”Agreed.” Arkon nodded. ”Let us finish planning and allow you to get this water drained so Siefer can show up.”


	35. Thirty-four

The sound of rushing water was a nearly beautiful sound to Thalia as she watched the water drain from the ruins for a moment before turning to the Black Knight beside her. ”Idhelm, go. Tell the others to prepare.” watching the Black Knight nod, she turned away as he left her to go do as bid. Hearing roaring Thalia watched as a golden-colored drake came flying in before landing and frowned as an idea struck her. _I wonder..._ Leaving where she stood, Thalia cautiously made her way towards the drake who soon turned towards her and growled. ”Easy.” She told the drake softly as his golden eyes watched her, ”I don’t mean you any harm.” Thalia told the drake who stepped closer to her upon her stopping in her footsteps. ”I wanted to ask something of you.” Still speaking softly Thalia watched as the golden drake lowered his head to meet her eyes with one of his own and huffed as she slowly reached out to touch him. ”I know I have no right to ask anything of you but my Knights, my brothers and I need help.” the drake growled as he looked towards her hand before resting his muzzle against it and she let out a shaky breath. His hide, while she had originally figured to it to be scaly and rough, it was actually only slightly bumpy yet also somehow very smooth.

Unknown to Thalia as she interacted with the golden drake, Wuldric and Arkon as well as the other Knights watched with amazement and confusion. ”He remembers her.” 

”What do you mean Wuldric?” Arkon asked as Wuldric never tore his gaze away from Thalia and the drake. 

”That drake is hers,” and with that Wuldric began to explain. ”When she was a baby a man none of her family nor I had ever seen before came to her grandmother’s estate. With him he carried a golden egg, a gift for Thalia he claimed. While we were reluctant to take it, he claimed that we would not regret it and told us to place the egg within Thalia’s crib. Her grandmother did as he said when Thalia was laid in her crib that night and the next morning when I went to get her from her crib...” Wuldric smiled then as he thought back to just how small, how defenseless, she had been. ”...When I went to retrieve her in the morning that drake had hatched from his egg and hissed at me from where he was curled around her. Eventually, he realized I meant no harm to Thalia and I found him crawling up my arm to rest on my shoulder while I attended to Thalia.” 

”So how did he end up here?” 

”I’m not sure but if I had to venture a guess? I would say it has to do with the day he left. She and that drake were only five years of age at the time so he must have come here.” Wuldric felt it hit him then. Compared to the Silver Knights, Black Knights and the Gods, humans really did only live for a fraction of the time.

"Wuldric?" Arkon inquired as the younger Silver Knight shook his head.

"I guess I didn't fully realize just how short of a time humans live upon this world. I remember the time when she was so small and defenseless and I look to her now and its...” Wuldric sighed then. ”Have twenty-five years really passed?” Thinking back to those days of when she had been nothing more then a baby, Wuldric remembered always being so willing to help with taking care of her even when it came to the less...pleasant...things a person dealt with when caring for a baby. But Wuldric loved everything that had to do with the young woman he called a sister and so had dealt with even the most unpleasant of things all for him to see her be happy and smiling. He even remembered being there when she spoke her first word which had shocked everyone around when she had turned to him and called him ”bubber” in the attempt to call him ”brother”. He remembered back to the first time he had held her in his arms, had looked into her eyes and had all _**but**_ physically melted when she had yawned and fallen asleep in the safety of his arms. It had been _**THAT**_ day that had led to him swearing his oath to protect her to the best of his abilities. It had been then that he had claimed her as a sister and had been there for her for so many of her milestones growing from a baby to her becoming nearly ten years of age. He had been there to help her take her first steps. To watch as she moved from milk to mushed foods to solid foods. To protect her from Calemund and Eluric’s relentless tauntings and insults. Being there to comfort her when she was crying because of her two actual brothers and even being there when she was ill and in need of a little more care then what her human family could provide. It _**ALL**_ came back to him and it felt like he had just be slapped aside by the tail of a dragon. 

”Leave us and prepare for battle.” Arkon commanded the others who did as told while he turned to Wuldric. ”You’ve known her all her life.” 

”Ever since she was small and defenseless and could fit into one of my arms.” Wuldric told the Black Knight somberly. ”And soon...I will lose her.” 

Arkon reached up to place a hand upon the Silver Knight’s shoulder. ”All things must come to an end.” 

”I know but... I can’t bear the thought of losing her... Not in this way.” Wuldric lowered his gaze to the stone beneath his feet and Arkon almost physically felt his pain. Seeing the way Wuldric acted around Thalia, how the younger Silver Knight cared so deeply for the strange woman, it was painful to know that soon Wuldric would have to let Thalia go and somewhere deep within in himself, Arkon too dreaded having to let Thalia go into the Kiln to fulfill her destiny once she collected the last soul she would need in order to go to the Kiln. Arkon had been to the Kiln once before and had seen what happened to those who would link the First Flame. Gwyn’s fate of being burned to ash would soon be Thalia’s and that was not a fate he would wish upon anyone. 

Before Arkon could say anything more though, the golden drake pulled away and took to the air with a roar and both Knights turned to watch as the drake flew up to land on a nearby tower and growled as he watched the now open gateway while Thalia followed him with her gaze before walking towards the ruins. ”It’s best we meet up with her. The sooner she gets to the four kings the better. It will make it more difficult for Seifer to catch up to her.” 

Wuldric nodded in agreement and they left the area where they stood and headed to meet her. 

***

Thalia looked to her brother and Arkon as the sounds of battle reached their ears. ”That was quick.” 

”Seifer never wastes time when he has a target. It was one of the reasons he was made captain.” Wuldric frowned as Arkon tensed up. 

”We must hurry. If that fighting means anything then Seifer is truly bent on harming you, Thalia.” Arkon told her as they began moving again. 

As they ventured deeper within the ruined city of New Londo, Thalia heard the sound of a bow being drawn and called out to Arkon and Wuldric and all of them leapt out of the way of the arrow that landed where Thalia had once been but before Arkon and Wuldric could say or do anything. They were ambushed by several Silver Knights and Wuldric called out to Thalia. ”Thalia! Go! We’ll hold them off for as long as possible!” 

Thalia frowned but did as her brother told her, but even after she left them behind and they vanished from sight Thalia wasn’t able to get anywhere near the fog gate that would lead to the four kings as the one Wuldric and Arkon had been talking about standing in the way. And from the blue colored cape he wore, Thalia could say that this Silver Knight before her was none other then Captain Seifer himself. ”I should have expected this.” Thalia commented with a scowl as she looked the Silver Knight over. 

”Yes you should have,” He responded as she heard the sound of bows being drawn and felt several pairs of eyes locking onto her signaling that the owners of those eyes had their arrows prepared to strike her down.

”If you plan on killing me you’d best do it yourself. Only a coward would have archers do it for him.” 

”They are here as a precaution.” Seifer responded as he watched her. 

”Cute.” Thalia frowned. 

”I am sure my fallen brothers have informed you as of to why I have come?” 

”They did, but entertain me for a moment?” Thalia inquired as she noticed something moving behind him and deciding to stall him she turned back to see him debating with the question before nodding. 

”Ask and never let it be said that I did not answer your question.” 

”What makes you so bent on hunting me down?” 

Seifer stopped and frowned. ”Long ago the shadow of a blue dragon rose above the coliseum of Oolacile but the cause behind the blue dragon was never found. Only the grave of Sir Artorias with Lord’s Blade sitting before it and his mourning grey wolf were found in the blackened remains of the Coliseum.” Seifer began as he slowly made his way towards Thalia who watched him with a slight snarl on her face. Watching as his blade lit up with lightning, Thalia growled. Even though she wasn’t wearing to much metal armor she still had some and knew that she would be right screwed if he was to be successful in landing a blow upon her. ”Several months ago I saw the biggest clue into what created that blue shadow and made the connection when Wuldric called you his sister upon his return to Anor Londo.” 

”Wuldric won’t allow you to harm me!” Thalia snarled as she prepared to retaliate against Seifer. 

”Wuldric won’t be here to stop me. My orders are to prevent you from doing anything more and I will make sure to do so.” Seifer slightly crouched and prepared to rush towards Thalia who prepared to get out of his way but before either could move a feminine voice rang out in rage causing both Thalia and Seifer to look over at the voices owner.

”**_WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!_**” 


	36. Thirty-five

Thalia watched as a young woman, likely no older than she herself, came walking into the area with a scowl upon her face. While Thalia was used to seeing people appear and disappear from her world when it crossed with the worlds of others _**THIS**_ particular woman felt oddly..._familiar_... To her in some way, though in what way, Thalia couldn’t say in that moment. _Who is this?_ Thalia watched the woman approach. _And why does her energy feel so familiar to me? I’ve never..._ It seemed to slap Thalia across the face then as she studied the way the woman carried herself. _Wait... Is she...mortal?_ Thalia wondered as the woman barely spared a glance towards Thalia before turning towards Seifer. 

”What is the meaning of what is going on here?” the woman demanded once more as the Silver Knight Captain seemed to shrink back upon being addressed by the woman who was wearing Silver Knight armor (at least that's what Thalia finally noted the woman was wearing). 

”I am here under Lord Gwyn’s orders,” Seifer began before explaining fully why he was in the ruins of New Londo facing down Thalia. 

Turning to Thalia, the other woman studied her and noted Thalia’s strange look. Dark blue hair that was damn near black in the poor lighting, pale skin that told her exactly what origin Thalia had human wise, blue eyes that shifted from dark to light when Thalia turned to study her in return but it was the bluish-purple marking upon Thalia’s face that confused her the most as it looked like it should have been a scar-like tattoo but she could tell it wasn’t. ”Who are you and what are you doing within the ruins of New Londo?”

”My name is Thalia and the reason I am here is because of the Four Kings.” Thalia responded feeling herself tense up as the other young woman sensed the tension and also silently responded to it. 

”Thalia!” Arkon’s voice rang out at the same time Wuldric’s voice also called out. 

”_**Sister**_!” Wuldric and Arkon swiftly came into the area but stopped upon seeing Seifer and the woman wearing Silver Knight armor. ”Lady Chelsea?” 

”Silver Knight Wuldric. Knight Arkon.” She addressed the two new knights who stood watching before Wuldric cautiously made his approach towards Thalia. 

”Sister? Are you alright?” Wuldric inquired as he looked towards Thalia who studied him and nodded. 

”I am thanks to the timing of,” Thalia looked to the one whom Wuldric had addressed as Lady Chelsea and the woman gave the hint of a smirk. 

”Chelsea, daughter of Ornstein.” 

”Wait. Ornstein? As in _**Dragonslayer**_ Ornstein?” Thalia inquired as she thought back to the golden armored lion helmed Dragonslayer. 

”Yes,” Chelsea nodded as Thalia stepped back with Wuldric moving to guard her. ”Wuldric why are you moving to protect that woman?” 

”Because she is my sister. Maybe not by blood but she is my sister.” Wuldric told her before frowning but before he could speak more on the matter, Seifer spoke up.

"That does not mean that I will disobey my orders."

Wuldric almost snarled as Arkon moved forward now and raised his shield as he stepped forward to protect Thalia, "You will not touch her."

"You are a less-!"

"**_ENOUGH!_**" a voice boomed out causing Thalia to flinch as Chelsea and everyone turned to see none other then Ornstein himself striding into the area. Watching as he looked everyone over, his gaze paused on Chelsea for a moment before continuing to look around and stopping on Thalia who was still being shielded by both Arkon and Wuldric. "Chosen Undead? What are you doing here?"

Thalia gave an unamused look now, "_That should be pretty self-explanatory..._" She muttered before sighing, "I'm here for the Four Kings. I need what they share to finish my journey."

Ornstein nodded in understanding, then turned to Chelsea and smiled. While he normally wouldn't ignore her, right now he had to act his part as a leader and so turned his attention to Seifer, Wuldric and Arkon, all of whom he addressed. "Wuldric, Arkon, Seifer, come with me. Now." 

Wuldric glanced to Thalia who nodded to him. "I'll be fine brother."

"Are you sure?" Wuldric inquired as Thalia smiled.

"I promise. Until this is all resolved I won't go any further. Besides there are still Silver Knights lingering above.I'm most likely safer here then anywhere else within the ruins." She told him as Chelsea and the others watched this exchange.

"Alright," Wuldric sighed, "I will return as soon as I can." Even though Wuldric didn't like the idea of Thalia being out of his sight for too long, he also knew that Ornstein would keep the meeting short and to the point and so followed Arkon who began to walk towards the Dragonslayer who was speaking with Chelsea for a moment. 

Thalia, for her part, watched as the group of four made up of the Dragonslayer, Arkon, her brother and Seifer, eventually moved away to speak and sighed as she turned to walk to a spot to lean against a wall before hearing a growl and watching as the golden drake from before came to land nearby and strode up to her. "Hey you." Thalia sighed as she reached out to begin petting the drake who chuffed and "purred". Of course this move by the drake did **_NOT_** go unnoticed by Ornstein, Chelsea, or anyone really but what confused Ornstein (and Chelsea as well) was how the drake was acting towards Thalia who was just petting it. 

"How are you doing that?" Chelsea inquired as Thalia looked to her for a brief moment before returning her gaze to the golden drake. "Dragons of any kind are not known for allowing anyone to touch them."

"I've known him since he was a hatchling. In fact, he's my drake because he hatched the night his egg was placed in my crib as a babe."

"So you grew up together?" Chelsea frowned as Thalia chuckled slightly.

"In a sense, yes, we did." Thalia felt the golden drake nuzzle her hand and smirked. "I never named him though and I should probably correct that." Thalia spoke as she moved her hand to rub along the drake's nose as he chuffed.

"What name will you give him?" Chelsea inquired as she moved to stand closer to Thalia who frowned. 

Letting her thoughts roll, Thalia allowed the silence to spread before smiling, "Laenor."

Chelsea was confused now, "Why Laenor?"

"It was the name of my grandfather on my mother's side. my grandmother always told me that my grandfather, Laenor Vaele, was a good and kindhearted man that **_ALL_** human nobles should strive to be like. He was firm but fair, never cruel but always kind and for him family always came first. He loved all of his children and my grandmother and always sought to be diplomatic unless there was no other choice."

"He sounds like a good man," Chelsea said as the drake continued to purr at Thalia's touch. 

"He was. But I never got to met him."

Chelsea looked towards Thalia then, "Why?"

"He was killed three months before I was born." Chelsea flinched at that but before she could speak and apologize for bringing that up, the golden drake chuffed before pulling away and both she and Thalia watched as the drake purred before turning away and taking to the air and leaving the area. "Something tells me that after this, I won't see him again." Thalia frowned as everyone in that area watched the golden drake vanish from sight.

“You never know,” Chelsea told Thalia who shook her head.

“I do know. By the time I get ready for the last part of my journey I will be going where he won’t be able to follow.”

Chelsea was quiet for a moment before deciding to change the subject. “Time for subject change!” She smiled as Thalia bit back a chuckle. “Wuldric called you his sister, mind telling me about that?”

“Not at all,” Thalia smiled then and was happy to explain the reason behind Wuldric claiming her as as sister (and speaking of the shenanigans she had gotten into as a child which he had more often then not either helped with or had to get her out of) while off in the distance Ornstein was listening to Wuldric who in turn was speaking of _**WHY**_ he had chosen to be with Thalia for the last parts to her journey instead of remaining in Anor Londo with the rest of the Silver Knights.

“All because of a promise you made to her mother and grandmother?” Ornstein inquired as Wuldric nodded.

“And I will be damned before I let Siefer harm her while she attempts to complete her journey,” Wuldric glared over at the other Silver Knight who tensed up as he prepared an argument.

“Enough both of you.” Ornstein all but snarled as Siefer backed off. “Siefer, you and your Silver Knights _**WILL**_ return to Anor Londo with me after I’ve spoken with Thalia. Wuldric, I expect you and your Silver Knights to return to Anor Londo as well but only _**AFTER**_ you have seen to it that Thalia is on the last part of her journey. Am I understood?”

“Of course, Sir Ornstein.” Wuldric nodded in agreement while Siefer hesitatingly agreeing. They could all tell that Siefer didn’t like what was happening but they also knew that he would not dare question Ornstein’s decision, it was not like Siefer to question anything to do with those who had more authority then he did.

_Just like him to be coward as usual and to think I once willingly followed him. It’s no wonder my Black Knight brothers and I took so well to Thalia, huh?_ Arkon thought before turning to Ornstein who addressed him next.

“Arkon, I’ve been hearing interesting rumors about you and your brother Black Knights.”

“Rumors?”

“Indeed. Each one though states that more and more of them are seeking you out so they may follow Thalia. Is this true and what is the reason behind it?”

“Indeed they are true and the reason behind why we do so is for the fact that we will be following her into the Kiln. We cannot know what or who is there and thus we Black Knights will be going with her to keep her safe until she reaches where the First Flame resides within the Kiln.”

“And after?”

“I do not yet know. Our main concern is getting Thalia to the Kiln. After that I will speak with my brothers to see what they wish to do.” Arkon told Ornstein who nodded.

“If you can think of nothing, know that you will be welcomed back into Anor Londo. You Black Knights may no longer serve Lord Gwyn but you still serve a Lord even if she takes human form.”

“What?” Arkon, Siefer and Wuldric inquired all at the same time.

“Indeed,” Ornstein smiled before looking towards Wuldric, “You were not aware?”

“I was aware that she had a Lord soul within her by extension making her a lord in some way but being a Lord in human form? I’m afraid that muddles things for me.”

“Tis understandable thus allow me to explain…” With that Ornstein explained in detail EVERYTHING to do with that.

“...That explains why the Channelers were after her then…” Wuldric frowned as Arkon and Siefer tried absorbing this new information that left them greatly confused. “But… We’ve both seen her call forth her dragon bloodline. We were there when it first awoke…”

“I remember _**THAT**_ very well,” Ornstein smiled then as he remembered watching Thalia unleash the power behind her bloodline before speaking more. “But when Seath asked to speak with me he told me everything I’ve told the three of you.”

“A fifth Lord soul that wasn’t present when lord Gwyn and the other lords found theirs?” Arkon inquired as his brows came together in confusion.

“The reason it wasn’t there was because it was already being passed down in the Dragon God’s bloodline. Because Thalia is the last of the Dragon God’s bloodline it makes her a lord. Her soul will be the last thing needed for the Lordvessel to open the Kiln but she will not die as it only needs to sense her soul not take it.”

No one spoke for a few moments then, “That actually explains a lot.” Wuldric sighed now.

“Like?” Arkon inquired as Wuldric turned to him.

“Her unusual affinity for fire and why everyone called her the “Slumbering” or “sleeping” dragon,” Wuldric looked towards where Thalia and Chelsea were speaking and now apparently laughing as they spoke of whatever had caught their interest.

“It is apparent that your daughter Lady Chelsea, Sir Ornstein, and Thalia have…” Arkon smirked as the thought the words over. “Well.. “hit it off” as many of my former human friends would say.”

“Anyone who knows Thalia knows that she tends to make friends easily.” Wuldric smiled softly now.

“And enemies as well,” Arkon frowned as he remembered the one named Saewynn.

“That one was a fool,” Wuldric frowned as well as he too remembered Saewynn’s foolishness. “Unfortunately she too was undead and that likely means she will try to come after Thalia again. Damnable Darkwraith that Saewynn was and is.”

Ornstein frowned then, “Then it is wiser that we linger here no longer. I must speak with Thalia once more and then we will all leave.”

What none of them could know was that as the four rejoined Thalia and Chelsea (with Chelsea walking over to stand beside Ornstein who smiled down at her while Wuldric moved over to Thalia who smiled up at him) was that above them looking down stood none other then Saewynn whose own dark smirk spoke of the danger she was soon to bring. Turning to look at another Darkwraith, Saewynn spoke then, “Begin the attack but remember that Thalia and that woman who was speaking with her are mine. If you must, separate Thalia from the others that surround her now but I will deliver the killing blows that will shake Thalia to the ground.” The Darkwraith nodded before leaving as he signaled for the others to do as they had been bid as Saewynn turned back to look at Thalia. _This time I will succeed in ending you Thalia even if I have to kill that little friend of yours that you just made. _Saewynn smirked again as she studied the woman who stood next to Ornstein now. _This is going to be fun. Maybe not for you and your little friends, Thalia, but it will be for me. _With that thought, Saewynn turned and followed her fellow Darkwraiths down to where Thalia and the others stood with the dark smirk lingering upon her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Saewynn returns. 
> 
> Special info:  
Chelsea does _**NOT**_ belong to me. She is VenusdeMilotic's OC. Venus and I have become good friends and thus has allowed me to use Chelsea in my story (yes Venus you can use Thalia in your story as well!). Her story that Chelsea is the main OC of is _To Rise From Ashes_ and I suggest you all go over and show her some lovings as well plus it's there where you will learn MORE about Chelsea's relationship with Ornstein.


	37. Thirty-six

Lightning, Thalia’s fire and several quick flashes of what looked to be blood-red energy tore through the air as the sound of swords clashing and arrows whizzing through the air roared around the ancient ruins as Silver Knights, Black Knights, Thalia, Ornstein and Chelsea all fought against an unusually large group of Darkwraiths. ”Where in the blazing fuck did all these damned Darkwraiths come from?!” Thalia panted as Chelsea slashed downwards and cut a Darkwraith that had been trying to rush Thalia from behind in half. ”I would thank you but I don’t think we are in the clear yet.” 

”I don’t need thanks,” Chelsea huffed as she raised her claymore to bring down upon another Darkwraith who was too slow to move. 

”Well too bad. Have it anyway.” Thalia managed as Chelsea let out a short chuckle before suddenly witnessing Thalia unleash a chaos fireball. 

“A pyromancy from Izalith?!” 

”It’s not my only one,” Thalia was still panting heavily and watched the fireball collide with a very unfortunate Darkwraith who had just happened to be flung away from Idhelm as he spotted the incoming fireball. ”_**IDHELM! GET TO WULDRIC AND ARKON KEEP THESE DAMNED DARKWRAITHS AT BAY!”   
**_****

_”As you command!” _With that Idhelm vanished in the direction of where Arkon was battling two Darkwraiths alone and Thalia watched as Idhelm smashed one of the unsuspecting wraiths into the ground. 

Thalia looked around and bit back another snarl. _Where did all these damned wraiths come from?_

”**_THALIA LOOK OUT!_**” Chelsea’s voice called out as Thalia turned in time to see a Darkwraith lunging towards her and barely had time to react before something that looked like an arrow made of pure _**flew**_ through the air and took a moment to turn towards Chelsea to see a bow made of pure lightning vanishing from her hands. 

”What was that?” 

”A special ability used by the women who serve Lord Gwyn.” 

”Explains why I’ve never seen it before.” With that Thalia and Chelsea raced off to rejoin the battle but even with both woman using their abilities to their fullest. It didn’t seem to be enough as the fighting was was happening so fast that Thalia could barely register what was happening before Chelsea suddenly cried out causing the fight to pause as a blast of energy (which _nearly_ sent everyone but Thalia to their knees). _Holy! This energy!_ Thalia soon opened her eyes to see Chelsea panting and stared at the Silver Knighted woman with near awe. Thalia had never before felt the energy that Chelsea had unleashed but it also felt familiar to her in some unknown way. _Who **IS** she really?_ Thalia inquired as she watched Chelsea turn her gaze toward Ornstein who was also watching Chelsea with awe but before anyone could speak, Thalia noticed a familiar-looking Darkwraith sneaking towards Chelsea and Thalia tensed up and prepared to lunge towards Chelsea but found herself unable to move as the wraith sudden thrust its sword through Chelsea causing her to cry out in pain before yanking the blade out and laughing. 

”How easy that was,” The wraith grinned wickedly as it, or rather she, turned to look at the Dragonslayer first before turning to Thalia who immediately recognized the Wraith.

”Saewynn.” Thalia snarled as Ornstein stood in shock for several moments before his spear lit up with lightning. 

“Thalia. It’s been a while since we last saw each other.” Saewynn’s eyes locked onto Thalia who (at this point) was getting really tired of the bullshit that this land was throwing at her. ”This time I will succeed in slaying you and bringing in the Age of Dark.” 

”Over my dead body, and we both know that won’t happen.” Thalia snarled while somewhere deep within her she felt guilt begin to plague her. Seeing movement Thalia noticed that Ornstein was very slowly moving to be behind Saewynn and Thalia felt his gaze land on her and understood what he was going to do. Only the weapons of the gods can completely destroy an Undead, if I get caught by his spear I’ll die too. Thalia’s gaze turned towards Chelsea and felt her guilt rising. Though it would only be fair, Chelsea...forgive me. 

”Oh it will happen, and it will happen _**NOW**_!” Saewynn lunged for Thalia who snarled as Thalia’s eyes flashed red as she called to her dragon blood and leapt towards Saewynn as well upon the two colliding, Thalia held Saewynn’s wrists and called out to Ornstein. ”If you're going to do something, do it now!” 

Ornstein looked at Thalia in shock, ”I’ll hit you if I-!” 

”Do it! I can deal with the consequences after!” Thalia called out as Ornstein prepared to leap forward. But instead of thrusting his spear upward like Thalia expected him to, His spear thrust down and through Saewynn and bit deep into Thalia’s side causing both to cry out, one in death the other in pain but due to the sudden shock of the pain within Thalia’s side Saewynn managed to bring her sword down upon Thalia as Thalia’s hand released Saewynn’s wrist. Sudden Ornstein yanked his spear out of Saewynn and Saewynn’s death cry sent the remaining Darkwraiths scattering while Thalia’s pained cries caused Wuldric and Arkon to come rushing after defeating the Darkwraiths that had been attacking them but both stopped when they arrived at where Ornstein, Thalia (who had collapsed onto her back) and Chelsea were.

”What happened?!” Arkon looked around with his mouth slightly opened in shock as he witnessed Ornstein pulling Chelsea close to him while Wuldric looked over and rushed to Thalia’s side with panic as he watched her grip the hilt of a ”dark” blade and yanked it out of where it rested in her shoulder causing her to cry out as Wuldric reached her. 

”Thalia, what are you doing?!” Wuldric inquired as Thalia felt dizziness overcome her. But she ignored him and stood to speak with Ornstein with Wuldric standing closer to her to allow her to lean against him. ”Thalia you need to-!”

”I’ll be fine,” Thalia told him as she managed to stand straight and looked towards Ornstein to address him. ”Sir Ornstein?” 

”Chosen Undead,” Ornstein looked towards Thalia, who began to speak. 

”I wish I could apologize for what just happened but this was my fault.” Thalia spoke as Ornstein watched her carefully. ”If I had not been lingering this would have never happened. I won’t ask for your forgiveness, not for what happened to her,” Thalia weakly motioned towards Chelsea who ragged breathing was barely reaching Thalia’s ears as Chelsea managed to looked from her father towards Thalia. ”Wuldric, take the Silver Knight and go back to Anor Londo with the others.” Thalia turned and headed towards the fog gate. 

”Thalia what are you doing?! Your wounded and in need of healing!” Wuldric tried to protest as Ornstein carefully lifted Chelsea up and stood. 

”Wuldric, I’m _**UNDEAD**_. I bear the damnable Dark Sign. If I die I’ll just come back. Though its not something I would wish upon anyone.” Thalia looked towards Ornstein then. ”Not even my worst enemy or my closest friend.” 

Ornstein frowned before speaking, ”Lady Thalia,” Thalia tilted her head then, it was strange for her to hear him call her by her name but she listened as he spoke more. ”I do not blame you for what just happened, but I will keep your story as a cautionary tale. You are powerful yet kind and I respect you for trying to take the blame upon yourself but it is as much my fault as it is yours. I too saw that darkwraith approaching my daughter from behind but was too late to do anything about it like you.” Ornstein looked down to Chelsea whose breathing was growing weaker. “I’m taking her home but I will remember this and you, Thalia.” 

“Then remember my parting words to you Ornstein. Don’t let her take this curse upon herself for the curse itself is a damning thing. I have already lost much to it and before I see the end I’m sure I will lose more.” 

”What do you lose?” 

”Everything. Memories, friends and even family.” Thalia replied before turning and walking towards the fog gate. 

”Thalia...” Wuldric frowned as Thalia stopped and looked at him.

”Go back to Anor Londo, after this I plan on going straight to the Kiln after a quick stop at Firelink to speak with Solaire.” With that Thalia vanished through the fog gate and Arkon frowned before turning and watching as Ornstein called for the others and turned towards Wuldric who was watching the fog door. 

”Go Wuldric. I and the Black Knights will meet with her in the Kiln.” 

”Keep her safe until she goes to link the flame?” 

”I will.” with that Arkon watched as Wuldric called for the others and left as the Black Knights came over to him. ”Let us begin to head for the Kiln. Our Lady will need us.” 


	38. Thirty-seven

Thalia sat and barely made a noise as Solaire tended to her wounds with as much gentleness as he could manage. ”Are you sure you don’t want to wait?” he inquired softly as she looked towards him. 

”I cannot afford to wait any longer, the attack done by Saewynn and the darkwraiths in the ruins will not be repeated.” 

Solaire looked up at Thalia and noted her far away look and frowned before he rested his hand upon her upper arm causing her to look at him and kissed her gently. ”I will be heading to the Kiln as well. I will place down my sign. Please, touch it and call me into your world.” 

”Solaire...” 

”Don’t. I won’t let you do this alone.” 

”But the black knights will be...” 

Solaire shook his head. ”They will be fighting those who would stand in your way. I will be there to aid you come the final fight.” Thalia did not argue but leaned her head forward and they rested their foreheads together for several moments. ”I love you, my huntress.” 

”And I you my incandescent sun,” Thalia said as she pulled away to kiss him which he returned. 

”I will see you soon my love.” 

”I will watch for your sign.” Thalia promised as he finished tending to her and reluctantly pulled away as she watched him leave. Closing her eyes upon him vanishing, Thalia found herself reopening her eyes to note the setting sun. Deciding to get a better view (and what would likely be her LAST view) of the setting sun and soon stood watching the sky turn a rather unusual coloration. Along with the usual pink, orange, purple, dark blue and night sky blue another color was present and an old saying rose from the depths of her mind as the blood-red color also joined the others. ”...but for me, it won’t be a delight for this will be the last time I see this.” Thalia sighed as she heard a roar and turned to see Laenor appearing with a beat of his wings before he landed near to her and accidently whipped the hollowed warrior that stood guarding the cliff upside the head with his tail and knocked him off the cliff causing both Laenor and Thalia to watch him tumble over the edge and Thalia bit back a laugh as she turned to the drake. ”Looks like Chelsea was right,” Thalia whispered softly as she reached up and began to pet the drake who purred. ”I didn’t know if I would see you again but I thought I wouldn’t. I’m glad I was wrong.” Thalia whispered as she pet the drake who blinked slowly at her with a loving gaze showing in his eyes. ”I’m glad you came to see me again, Laenor. I needed to see you once more. I’m leaving to head to the Kiln soon and won’t be able to see you again. I wish you could come with me I could use you to help calm my nerves.” She told the drake who chuffed as he nuzzled her stomach gently. “If you can make it to the Kiln somehow, I’ll be amazed.” For several moments, Thalia and her drake stood there and she gave him lovings before he pulled away and she watched him take off with him giving her a roar. “_Goodbye, my dear drake._” Thalia whispered as she watched him vanish from her sight once more. Turning, Thalia headed to speak with the Primordial Serpent named Frampt and mentally prepared herself for what was to come. 

*** 

Thalia heard the soft clinking sound of the armors of Arkon, Idhelm and the two Black Knights that kept her company. At her side was Solaire as a gold-colored phantom and above a shadow flew over their heads and Thalia briefly glanced up to see her drake (who had somehow found a way to arrive at this place) circling around overhead and roaring. At first the arrival of the drake had alarmed Solaire but after Thalia had explained he had calmed down and now Solaire watched the drake carefully before returning his gaze to the way they were headed. As they made their way through what seemed to be hills of ash and fought their way towards the area where the actual ”Kiln” lay Thalia’s drake remained flying high above only ever coming down to lay waste to any Black Knights that stood in their way. As they got into another skirmish with the opposing black knights, upon the last one falling, Thalia’s drake cried out and everyone turned to see the golden drake roaring out in pain before something pierced through his throat causing him to nearly drop from the sky like a boulder and Thalia felt as if a piece of her had been mercilessly ripped out as he gave out his last cry. “_**LAENOR**_!” Thalia cried out but Arkon’s sudden grip on her prevented her from rushing to get to the drake whose falling form went belly up as he disappeared behind some ashen hills and she found herself watching as he vanished. Of course this caused Solaire, Arkon and the other three Black Knights to turn towards Thalia whose hands shook as she attempted to stay her suddenly rising anger as her breath became unsteady. Even though the drake had been with her for only five years since he had hatched, something about his death shock her to the core. Something about his death being so close to the death of Chelsea (which she was still blaming herself for) was clawing through her worse then any death could ever had and it showed on her face as she watched the spot where her drake disappeared. 

”We must continue,” Arkon said as he looked to Thalia. ”That lightning bolt was Lord Gwyn’s.” 

”But Lord Gwyn is no more.” Idhelm was completely confused now. ”You said so yourself!”

”I know. But that was one of his spears which tells me that something has taken his form.” Arkon looked once more to Thalia and gently removed his hand from her arm onto her shoulder. “Thalia.” 

”Let’s just go,” Thalia said as she fought back tears but unknown to her, the last death that was to come would nearly break her and only Arkon would be able to calm her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of the end. Hope you all can hang on because the Last chapter **_WILL_**lead into the second story and will explain how Thalia became what she is in the next story.


	39. Thirty-eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Thalia closed her eyes as tears slipped down her cheeks. ”Solaire please!” she begged of the man she loved as he brushed her cheek with his hand. ”I have to do this! Not you!” she said as she opened her eyes to look at him. 

"No Thalia, you are too badly injured. The first flame would reject you so instead I will take your place," Solaire told her as he knelt down by where she was sitting (though it was not by choice). Studying her carefully now, Solaire could see the wound she had suffered during the battle with the being that had once been the former Lord Gwyn and it took him quiet a bit of his willpower to not flinch away as he turned his gaze from the wound to Thalia's blue eyes which were filled with slowly shedding tears and, slowly reaching up, Solaire gently brushed some of her tears away with his thumb before leaning forward and laid what was likely the last tender kiss upon her lips that would be shared between them before he pulled away and called for Arkon who was swift to appear. "Arkon," he started as the the Black Knight watched him, "take Thalia from this place. With the wound she bares, the first flame will very likely reject her." 

Arkon looked to Thalia and frowned but when he went to speak he saw the wound Solaire spoke of (and mentally recoiled as he recognized the type of wound) and walked over to her before he leaned down to scoop her up into his arms. "I will ensure that she returns to Firelink where her wound may be properly treated," Arkon promised as he stood while Thalia watched Solaire with burning tears lingering within her eyes as she watched her beloved Warrior of Sunlight slowly leave her sight as Arkon turned to leave the kiln. Her's and Solaire's worlds had joined together for the last time and despite how **_badly_** she did not want to look away, she was soon forced to as Arkon walked away from that place. Closing her eyes, Thalia struggled to hold back her tears and felt Arkon pull her closer as carefully as possible, always mindful of the wound she bore upon her person, and soon the battle she was waging against her tears was lost and all Arkon could do was keep her held close as they left the Kiln behind with the ancient doors that led**_ TO_** the path of the Kiln shutting behind them, like to never open again (at least not in this undead lifetime that would be living).

***

As they returned to Firelink, Thalia was just barely seated by the bonfire when voices reached their ears and grabbed Arkon's attention, but Thalia, for her part, seemed just too far gone within her thoughts to notice anything happening (and that worried Arkon greatly). When his gaze landed upon the area where the voices were coming from he was (almost) surprised to see Wuldric and a few other Silver knights come racing into the area. "Thalia?" Wuldric asked of her but was soon shocked into silence as he noted that she ignored him, which was something she **_NEVER_** did. "Arkon, what happened?" Wuldric inquired as one of the Silver Knights walked over to Thalia and began to tend to the wound that they could all see while Arkon explained. 

"...Unfortunately this means that she will never be the same..." Arkon frowned as he and Wuldric watched her. For several hours, as time (painstakingly) slowly returned to some form of normalcy. Thalia soon "awoke" from her odd state and stood, catching everyone's attention, but instead of acknowledging any of the Silver Knights, Arkon or Wuldric, she began to walk away from the slowly dying bonfire and away from them. 

"Thalia!" Wuldric called out, but was stopped short as Arkon gripped his arm. "Arkon?"

"Let her go," Arkon said as he watched Thalia slowly disappear from sight with Wuldric doing the same. "Where she goes now. None of us will be able to follow. She must find her true path and she must do it alone."

"But..." Wuldric looked to the older Knight and Arkon gave him a saddened, yet understanding look in return. 

"I know, but this is Thalia's path and only she can walk it." Arkon returned to watching after Thalia and frowned before closing his eyes and sighing heavily. "One day she will return to you."

"How can you be so sure?"

"You're her brother are you not?" Arkon smirked slightly then as Wuldric understood the older Knight's thoughts now. "No matter how far her journey takes her, she will always return to the older brother she has always loved and always will. Fate will more then likely bring you two together again one day. Will it be soon? I cannot say. But she will return to you." With that reassurance (or some form of it), Arkon released Wuldric and began to walk away as everyone present spotted Captain Siefer awaiting Arkon. 

"Arkon? Where are you going?" Wuldric inquired as Arkon stopped for a moment to smile back at him softly. 

"I am old, Wuldric, and there comes a time when even Silver," He nodded towards Siefer, "and Black Knights such as myself must leave this world behind." With that Arkon turned and both he and Siefer left the younger Knights behind but neither Arkon nor Siefer would ever be heard from again. 

"Wuldric? What should we do?" Wuldric heard one of his fellow brother knights inquire softly.

"Return to Anor Londo. There is nothing left for us here." 

"But what of your sister?"

"AS much as I would not like to admit it, but Arkon is right," Wuldric sighed. "She must walk her own path to discovery. But we can hope that she will return one day." Wuldric told them as they slowly began to make their way back towards the Cathedral, but Wuldric stopped for a brief moment and raised his hand to touch a single spot upon his breastplate as his eyes closed. "_Come back to me one day Thalia. Even if the years separate us. Undead or not...come home to me, my sweet little sister." _ Wuldric opened his eyes and followed after his brothers as the last of the flames within the bonfire slowly vanished into wisps of smoke as the Firekeeper below closed her eyes for the last time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the end.


	40. Epilogue

Streaks of silvery moonlight peeked through the trees as a woman walked under the dark canopy. As she came to a stop it was just outside of the protection of the canopy and in this soft light of the moon, the woman was revealed to be wearing a strange-looking set of armor never really seen before but had become one of the most infamous sets. Looking skyward she was not so surprised to see a few of the moonlight butterflies (those odd creations of the one time dragon Seath the Scaleless) lazily fluttering about in the sky-high above her, but for the moment returned her gaze back to where she was heading and began her journey once more as someone else began to follow her once more. She could tell she was being followed, she knew exactly who was following her but it bothered her little as where she was heading was the one place she needed to go to finally make peace with the past she could not change no matter how much she wished she could. Stopping at the edge of the forest, the woman saw what she was seeking just ahead of her and closed her eyes to steady herself. Walking forward after she had steeled her nerves, she soon drew closer to what lay waiting before her and, upon reaching it, she stretched out her hand and it soon came into contact with cold stone doors and stopped in her tracks as she looked over the doors for a moment. 

_Are you sure you want to do this?_ A voice questioned her as the woman closed her eyes. 

"If I don't I will never be able to make peace with my past and I've waited far too long to come to do this." She responded to the unheard voice who silenced itself for a moment.

_I understand. Do what you must._ The voice responded as she carefully pushed upon the stone door which slowly opened. Once it was opened far enough to allow her to slip in, the woman walked into the area beyond the door and took an unlit torch from its sconce and with a flick of her wrist (with a small flame appearing at her will) she lit the torch before raising it above her head to reveal blue eyes and a blueish-purple mark upon her face over her left eye. Her dark hair, which looked black but was actually a dark blue was soon highlighted by the flame of the torch and the woman frowned as she scanned the dark area around her. 

"I'll need to relight the torches as I go along." She muttered to herself as she began walking and using her torch to set others alight. As she did so the scurrying of tiny feet upon stone sounded and she shook her head as she realized what creatures the sounds belonged to. While she wasn't the biggest fan of rats (all thanks to her time in the once-proud land of Lords) she knew they had their own uses and their own lives to live but they were of little worry to her. No. Her main concern eventually came into view as she stopped before a stone statue that was reminiscent of someone she had loved very dearly with all her being. "This is her." She said aloud despite the fact that her voice cracked a little. 

_This is her?_ The voice responded in question as the woman spoke again. 

"Indeed. This is what should be the final resting place of my grandmother. Lady Hendina, the unknown blue dragon."

_You look like her._ The voice spoke softly as the woman smiled sadly. _Did you know she was a dragon?_

"No. I knew nothing of it until I was in my teenage years when I made a stupid mistake."

The voice was extremely quiet now. _What of your mother? _

"She is here as well. All of my mother's family except for two of us are." The woman spoke as she turned to head across the way and stopped before another statue and this time the voice was shocked. 

_Your mother was half-dragon? _

"Yes. But due to my grandmother choosing to give birth to my mother in a human form neither she nor I show draconian traits."

_...Yet you, yourself, have the ability to summon a blue dragon-like spirit and command fire with ease. _

"Had. I **_had_** the ability to call the dragon. I no longer can. But my ability to control flame remains." Looking upon the statue, the woman reached out with her right hand and touched the face of the statue woman and the voice spoke up once more. 

_What happened to her?_

"She passed after my birth. It was not easy on her and..." The woman closed her eyes as she struggled to not cry. "A part of me will always wish that I could have met her. To know what kind of person she was but I never will and all I will ever have of her are stories." Sighing, the woman opened her eyes and pulled away before moving along to two empty spaces and the voice became curious. 

_Why are these empty?_ It inquired as the woman hung the torch she held in an empty sconce near the empty area. 

"Because this should be the tombs of the man I loved and me." She explained as she reached over to a large stone block and pressed her hand upon it and closed her eyes. Focusing her will into the stone she heard several loud cracks and soon opened her eyes to pull away as the stone crumbled into a familiar form as the flames she had called forth burned the stone into the form of the man she had known and loved. "Though his bones will never rest here, we shared a love that ran deep and I loved him with all my heart thus this only feels right." 

_What was his name?_

"He was a Warrior of Sunlight and his name was Solaire and no matter what happens, he will always be my incandescent sun." She told the voice who, once again, grew quiet for several moments before speaking again.

_Come, Thalia. It is time to return to the other Abyss Watchers._

"Of course Artorias." The woman, Thalia, agreed as she turned and walked away after staring up at the face of the warrior she had loved for a few moments. Stopping at the doors that lead into the catacombs of her family, Thalia looked back once before closing the door behind her. Looking forward she nearly jumped out of her skin as she saw two others dressed in the same armor as her and noticed that one of them, with his wolven gold eyes, studied her carefully. 

"Are you ready?" He inquired as she nodded. 

"I've made my peace. There is nothing left for me here or in the past." Thalia spoke as the Watcher nodded. 

"Then come. You are one of us now." The Watcher told her as she followed after them not to return to this place for many, many years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end of one story is the beginning of another. Begin your journey over to _A Huntress No More_ for the second part to Thalia's story where her true fate will unfold.

**Author's Note:**

> I HAVE A DARK SOULS ONLY DISCORD! If you would like to join there is a link on my profile page. Discord is 100% free to use so it's earned brownie points in my book.


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